Bug FAQWestern Black-headed Budworm
Acleris gloveranus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Source: Wikipedia
The western black-headed budworm lives in parts of North America such as Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon. Its caterpillars feed on hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla, T. mertensiana) and fir (Abies) trees. Severe outbreaks in the 1940s-1950s killed millions of acres of trees, making it a serious forest pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The species is considered a pest because large outbreaks have killed millions of acres of forest.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae eat the foliage of western hemlock, mountain hemlock and various fir species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes parts of North America such as Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alaska, Montana, Washington, California, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How does the western black-headed budworm damage trees?
Its larvae feed on the needles of hemlock and fir trees, and massive outbreaks have caused widespread tree mortality.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this budworm found?
It occurs in North America, specifically in Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acleris_gloverana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.