List of Lepidoptera that feed on alders

Alders (Alnus spp.) are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species:

Monophagous

Species which feed exclusively on Alnus:

• Bucculatricidae
  • Bucculatrix locuples – only on Tag Alder (A. serrulata)
• Coleophoridae
  • Coleophora alnifoliae
• Geometridae
  • Hydriomena impluviata (May Highflyer)
• Pyralidae
  • Glyptoteles leucacrinella

Polyphagous

Species which feed on Alnus among other plants:

• Arctiidae
  • Arctia caja (Great Tiger Moth)
  • Halysidota tessellaris (Banded Tussock Moth)
  • Lophocampa maculata (Spotted Tussock Moth)
  • Spilosoma luteum (Buff Ermine)
• Bucculatricidae
  • Bucculatrix cidarella – recorded on Black Alder (A. glutinosa), Grey Alder (A. (incana) incana) and Green Alder (A. viridis)
• Coleophoridae
  • Several Coleophora species:
    • C. alniella
    • C. anatipennella
    • C. binderella – recorded on Black Alder (A. glutinosa)
    • C. comptoniella
    • C. fuscedinella
    • C. malivorella
    • C. orbitella
    • C. persimplexella – recorded on Green Alder (A. viridis)
    • C. pruniella
    • C. serratella
• Drepanidae
  • Drepana arcuata (Arched Hook-tip)
  • Drepana binaria (Oak Hook-tip)
• Geometridae
  • Agriopis marginaria (Dotted Border)
  • Alcis repandata (Mottled Beauty)
  • Antepione thisoaria (Variable Antepione)
  • Besma quercivoraria (Oak Besma)
  • Biston betularia (Peppered Moth)
  • Cabera exanthemata (Common Wave)
  • Cabera pusaria (Common White Wave)
  • Campaea perlata (Pale Beauty)
  • Chloroclysta truncata (Common Marbled Carpet)
  • Cingilia catenaria (Chain-dotted Geometer)
  • Crocallis elinguaria (Scalloped Oak)
  • Cyclophora pendulinaria (Sweetfern Geometer)
  • Ectropis crepuscularia (The Engrailed)
  • Ennomos magnaria (Maple Spanworm)
  • Epirrita autumnata (Autumnal Moth)
  • Eupithecia subfuscata (Grey Pug)
  • Geometra papilionaria (Large Emerald)
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctata (One-spotted Variant)
  • Iridopsis larvaria (Bent-lined Gray)
  • Melanolophia canadaria (Canadian Melanolophia)
  • Nematocampa resistaria (Filament Bearer)
  • Odontopera bidentata (Scalloped Hazel) – recorded on Grey Alder (A. (incana) incana)
  • Operophtera bruceata (Bruce Spanworm)
  • Pero hubneraria (Hübner's Pero)
  • Selenia tetralunaria (Purple Thorn)
  • Tetracis cachexiata (White Slant-Line)
• Hepialidae
  • Endoclita auratus
  • Endoclita undulifer
  • Sthenopis argenteomaculatus
• Lasiocampidae
  • Malacosoma disstria (Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth)
  • Phyllodesma americana (Lappet Moth)
• Lymantriidae
  • Euproctis similis (Yellow-tail)
  • Lymantria dispar (Gypsy Moth) – recorded on Speckled Alder (A. (incana) rugosa)
  • Orgyia antiqua (Rusty Tussock Moth)
• Megalopygidae
  • Megalopyge crispata (Black-waved Flannel Moth)
• Noctuidae
  • Acronicta americana (American Dagger Moth)
  • Acronicta dactylina (Fingered Dagger Moth)
  • Acronicta funeralis (Funerary Dagger Moth)
  • Acronicta grisea (Gray Dagger)
  • Acronicta leporina (The Miller)
  • Acronicta megacephala (Poplar Grey) – recorded on Grey Alder (A. (incana) incana)
  • Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
  • Lithophane innominata (Nameless Pinion)
  • Melanchra assimilis
  • Melanchra persicariae (Dot Moth) – recorded on Grey Alder (A. (incana) incana)
  • Orthosia gothica (Hebrew Character) – recorded on Grey Alder (A. (incana) incana)
  • Palthis angulalis (Dark-spotted Palthis)
• Notodontidae
  • Nadata gibbosa (Rough Prominent)
  • Oligocentria semirufescens (Red-washed Prominent)
  • Ptilodon capucina (Coxcomb Prominent)
• Nymphalidae
  • Limenitis arthemis (American White Admiral/Red-spotted Purple) – recorded on Speckled Alder (A. (incana) rugosa)
• Saturniidae
  • Hyalophora columbia (Columbia Silkmoth) – recorded on Speckled Alder (A. (incana) rugosa)
  • Pavonia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
• Sphingidae
  • Amorpha juglandis (Walnut Sphinx)
  • Laothoe populi (Poplar Hawk-moth)
  • Mimas tiliae (Lime Hawk-moth)

External links

• Caterpillar Hostplants Database