Bug FAQPhyllocnistis insignis
Phyllocnistis insignis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
Source: Wikipedia
Phyllocnistis insignis is a small moth in the Gracillariidae family. It occurs throughout the United States, from Maine to California.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Phyllocnistis insignis belongs to the moth family Gracillariidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The leaf mines appear as long, narrow, linear, winding tracks on the upper side of the leaf.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the United States, with records from the same states listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Gracillariidae)
Horse-chestnut LeafminerCameraria ohridellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aspen Serpentine Leafminer MothPhyllocnistis populiellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllocnistis vitegenella complexPhyllocnistis vitegenellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Locust Digitate Leafminer MothParectopa robiniellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Poison Ivy Leaf-miner MothCameraria guttifinitella
Madrone Skin MinerMarmara arbutiellaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllocnistis_insignis
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.