Bug FAQGoldenrod Gall Moth
Epiblema scudderiana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
The goldenrod gall moth is a tortricid moth that lives on goldenrod plants. Its caterpillars line the inside of the galls they make with silk and then enter diapause to overwinter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives on goldenrod stems where it feeds and forms galls.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The moth feeds on goldenrod and creates galls on the stems.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Caterpillars line the interior of their galls with silk before entering diapause to overwinter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plant does the goldenrod gall moth use?
It feeds on and forms galls on goldenrod stems.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiblema_scudderiana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.