Bug FAQPhyllocnistis ampelopsiella
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
Source: Wikipedia
The moth’s larvae mine the undersides of leaves, leaving white, winding trails. It feeds on Virginia creeper, its synonym Psedera quinquefolia, and grapevine, harming those plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The larvae create winding white mines on the lower side of host leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Leaf mining by the larvae produces visible white trails on the underside of leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
This moth occurs in Quebec and several U.S. states such as Colorado, Kentucky, Maine and New York.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The species feeds on Parthenocissus quinquefolia, its synonym Psedera quinquefolia, and Vitis vinifera.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its known range includes Quebec and parts of the United States like Colorado, Kentucky, Maine and New York.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 30 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Louisiana, Ohio, Florida, New York, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How does Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella affect my garden?
Its larvae mine the undersides of leaves of plants like Virginia creeper and grapevine, creating white trails that damage foliage.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gracillariidae)
Horse-chestnut LeafminerCameraria ohridellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aspen Serpentine Leafminer MothPhyllocnistis populiellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllocnistis vitegenella complexPhyllocnistis vitegenellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Locust Digitate Leafminer MothParectopa robiniellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Poison Ivy Leaf-miner MothCameraria guttifinitella
Phyllocnistis insignisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllocnistis_ampelopsiella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.