Phyllonorycter aeriferella
Scientific NamePhyllonorycter aeriferella
FamilyGracillariidae
SubfamilyLithocolletinae
Wingspan (mm)7
Wing Patternstriped
Primary Colorsbrown, white, orange
HabitatDeciduous forests, woodlands, areas with host oak trees
Geographic RangeEastern North America (eastern United States and parts of Canada)
Host PlantsQuercus alba, Quercus rubra, Quercus velutina
Flight PeriodMay to August (bivoltine)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesThe larvae are obligate leaf miners, creating characteristic tentiform mines on the underside of oak leaves. Pupation occurs within the mine.
Identification TipsKey features include its minute size, the specific pattern of silvery-white bands on a brownish-orange forewing, and the characteristic tentiform mines it creates on oak leaves.
Description
A very small, slender moth with a brownish-orange ground color, adorned with several distinct, somewhat iridescent, silvery-white transverse bands and streaks across its forewings, and a prominent tuft of scales on its head.
