Gnorimoschema gallaediplopappi
Common NameGnorimoschema gallaediplopappi
Scientific NameGnorimoschema gallaediplopappi
FamilyGelechiidae
SubfamilyGelechiinae
Wingspan (mm)10
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, grey
HabitatPrairies, grasslands, open fields, roadsides where host plants grow
Geographic RangeNorth America
Host PlantsSymphyotrichum ericoides, Symphyotrichum pilosum, other Symphyotrichum species
Flight PeriodLate summer to fall
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesThe larvae bore into the stems of aster plants, stimulating the formation of a spindle-shaped gall where they feed and develop. Pupation occurs within the gall, and adults emerge in late summer or fall.
Identification TipsAdult moths are small and drab, making field identification challenging. The most reliable identification in the field is by the characteristic spindle-shaped stem galls found on *Symphyotrichum* (aster) species, which are caused by the larvae.
Description
A small, cryptically colored moth, typically brown or grey, whose larvae induce distinctive spindle-shaped galls on the stems of aster plants.
