List of Lepidoptera that feed on birches

Birches ("Betula" spp.) are used as food plants by the larvae of a large number of Lepidoptera species including:

Monophagous

Species which feed exclusively on "Betula"

* Bucculatricidae leaf-miners:
** "Bucculatrix canadensisella"
** "Bucculatrix coronatella"
* Coleophoridae
** Several "Coleophora" case-bearer species:
*** "C. betulella"
*** "C. cornuta"
*** "C. hornigi"
*** "C. lentella"
*** "C. milvipennis"
* "Notodontidae
*** White Prominent

Polyphagous

Species which feed on "Betula" and other plants

* Bedelliidae
** "Bedellia somnulentella" - recorded on Paper Birch ("B. papyrifera")
* Bucculatricidae
** "Bucculatrix demaryella"
* Coleophoridae
** Several "Coleophora" case-bearer species:
*** "C. albovanescens"
*** "C. anatipennella"
*** "C. binderella"
*** "C. comptoniella"
*** "C. fuscedinella"
*** "C. fuscocuprella"
*** "C. ibipennella"
*** "C. limosipennella"
*** "C. lutipennella"
*** "C. malivorella"
*** "C. orbitella"
*** "C. persimplexella"
*** "C. piperata" - recorded on "Betula occidentalis"
*** "C. potentillae"
*** "C. pruniella"
*** "C. serratella"
*** "C. siccifolia"
* Drepanidae
** Oak Hook-tip ("Drepana binaria")
* Gelechiidae
** "Chionodes viduella"
* Geometridae
** Autumnal Moth ("Epirrita autumnata")
** Brimstone Moth ("Opisthograptis luteolata")
** Clouded Border ("Lomaspilis marginata")
** Common Emerald ("Hemithea aestivaria")
** Common Marbled Carpet ("Chloroclysta truncata")
** Common Wave ("Cabera exanthemata")
** Common White Wave ("Cabera pusaria")
** Dotted Border ("Agriopis marginaria")
** The Engrailed ("Ectropis crepuscularia")
** Feathered Thorn ("Colotois pennaria")
** Grey Pug ("Eupithecia subfuscata")
** Large Emerald ("Geometra papilionaria"))
** Light Emerald ("Campaea margaritata")
** Mottled Beauty ("Alcis repandata")
** Mottled Umber ("Erannis defoliaria")
** November Moth ("Epirrita dilutata")
** Pale November Moth ("Epirrita christyi")
** Purple Thorn ("Selenia tetralunaria")
** Scalloped Hazel ("Odontopera bidentata")
** Scalloped Oak ("Crocallis elinguaria")
** Willow Beauty ("Peribatodes rhomboidaria")
** Winter Moth ("Operophtera brumata")
* Hepialidae
** Conifer Swift ("Korscheltellus gracilis")
** "Gazoryctra wielgusi"
** "Sthenopis argenteomaculatus"
* Lymantriidae
** Brown-tail ("Euproctis chrysorrhoea")
** Gypsy moth ("Lymantria dispar") - recorded on Gray Birch ("B. populifolia") and Paper Birch ("B. papyrifera")
** Yellow-tail ("Euproctis similis")
* Noctuidae
** Angle Shades ("Phlogophora meticulosa")
** Dark Dagger ("Acronicta tridens")
** Dot Moth ("Melanchra persicariae") - recorded on Silver Birch ("B. pendula")
** Double Square-spot ("Xestia triangulum")
** The Dun-bar ("Cosmia trapezina")
** Grey Dagger ("Acronicta psi")
** Hebrew Character ("Orthosia gothica")
** Lesser Yellow Underwing ("Noctua comes")
** The Miller ("Acronicta leporina")
** Pine Beauty ("Panolis flammea")
** The Satellite ("Eupsilia transversa")
** Small Angle Shades ("Euplexia lucipara")
* Notodontidae
** Buff-tip ("Phalera bucephala")
** Coxcomb Prominent ("Ptilodon capucina")
* Notodontidae
** Rough Prominent ("Nadata gibbosa")
* Nymphalidae
** American White Admiral/Red-spotted Purple, "Limenitis arthemis" - prefers Sweet Birch ("B. lenta") over Yellow Birch ("B. alleghaniensis")
* Saturniidae
** Emperor Moth ("Pavonia pavonia")
* Sphingidae
** Elm Sphinx ("Ceratomia amyntor")
** Lime Hawk-moth ("Mimas tiliae")
** Poplar Hawk-moth ("Laothoe populi")
** Twin-spotted Sphinx ("Smerinthus jamaicensis")

External links

* [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/hostplants/ Caterpillar Hostplants Database]