Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Arborvitae Leafminer Moth
Argyresthia thuiella (Packard, 1871)


Family: Yponomeutidae
Subfamily: Argyresthiinae
Identification: Adult: forewing pale gray or whitish with 3 dark gray or black patches along inner margin (creating a 3-banded effect when wings are held together at rest); 4 or 5 small dark marks present along costa near apex
Wing Span: 0.8 cm
Life History:
Flight: May to July
Caterpillar Hosts: larvae are leaf miners, feeding mainly on Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) plus other Arborvitae and False Cypress (Chamaecyparis spp.)
Adult Food:
Habitat: on leaves of host plant (mainly Eastern White Cedar)
Range: southeastern Canada and northeastern US to North Carolina, west to Missouri, north to Manitoba (plus disjunct population in British Columbia) also occurs in Europe
Conservation:
NCGR:
Management Needs:
Taxonomy Notes: None.