Bug FAQWillow Leaf Blotch Miner Moth
Micrurapteryx salicifoliella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
Also called: Willow Leafblotch Miner
Source: Wikipedia
The Willow Leaf Blotch Miner Moth is a tiny moth with a wingspan of about 9 mm. It lives across Canada and many U.S. states, from Québec and Alberta to Missouri, California and Texas. Its caterpillars feed by mining the leaves of poplar and willow trees, which can harm those plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult moth has a wingspan of about 9 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It has been recorded in Canadian provinces such as Québec and Alberta and in many U.S. states including Missouri and California.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars mine the leaves of poplar species like balsam poplar and trembling aspen as well as various willow species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly in mid-July in Illinois and may appear again in October; in California they are seen from April through October, and in Texas in November.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period ranges from mid-July in the Midwest to as early as April in the West and as late as November in Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes parts of Canada and the United States across the north and central regions.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 21 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alaska, Ohio, Minnesota, Vermont, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan.
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
What trees do the larvae damage?
The larvae mine the leaves of poplars and willows, feeding on species such as balsam poplar, trembling aspen and many willow types.
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adult moths active?
Adults are on the wing in mid-July in the Midwest, can appear again in October, are present from April to October in California, and in November in Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this species found?
It occurs in parts of Canada and many U.S. states, including Québec, Alberta, Missouri, California and Texas.
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/Micrurapteryx_salicifoliella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.