Blue-washed Goldenrod Borer
Common NameBlue-washed Goldenrod Borer
Scientific NameEpiblema scudderiana
FamilyTortricidae
SubfamilyOlethreutinae
Wingspan (mm)15
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgrey, brown, blue
HabitatFields, meadows, roadsides, and open woodlands where goldenrod is abundant
Geographic RangeEastern and Central North America
Host PlantsGoldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Flight PeriodMay to July
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae bore into the stems of goldenrod plants, inducing the formation of a spindle-shaped gall where they feed and overwinter, pupating inside the gall in spring.
Identification TipsKey features include its small size, mottled grey-brown forewings with a bluish-grey head/thorax, and its strong association with goldenrod plants, particularly the spindle-shaped galls formed by its larvae.
Description
A small, cryptically colored moth with mottled grey-brown forewings and a distinctive bluish-grey wash on the head and thorax, often resting with its wings folded in a tent-like manner.
