List of Lepidoptera that feed on poplars

Poplars, Populus spp., are used as food plants by the larvae of a large number of Lepidoptera species:

Monophagous

Species which feed exclusively on Populus

• Bucculatricidae
  • Bucculatrix staintonella
• Gelechiidae
  • Chionodes terminimaculella
• Drepanidae
  • Tethea ocularis (Figure of Eighty)

Polyphagous

Species which feed on Populus and other plants

• Batrachedridae
  • Batrachedra praeangusta – recorded on White Poplar (P. alba) and Common Aspen (P. tremula)
• Coleophoridae
  • Coleophora malivorella
  • Coleophora pruniella
• Geometridae
  • Agriopis marginaria (Dotted Border)
  • Cabera exanthemata (Common Wave) – recorded on aspens
  • Cabera pusaria (Common White Wave) – recorded on aspens
  • Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn) – recorded on Black Poplar (P. nigra)
  • Crocallis elinguaria (Scalloped Oak) – recorded on aspens
  • Ectropis crepuscularia (The Engrailed)
  • Epirrita autumnata (Autumnal Moth)
  • Eupithecia subfuscata (Grey Pug)
  • Lomaspilis marginata (Clouded Border)
  • Odontopera bidentata (Scalloped Hazel)
  • Operophtera brumata (Winter Moth)
  • Selenia tetralunaria (Purple Thorn) – recorded on Black Poplar (P. nigra)
• Hepialidae
  • Korscheltellus gracilis (Conifer Swift)
  • Sthenopis purpurascens
• Lymantriidae
  • Euproctis chrysorrhoea (Brown-tail)
  • Lymantria dispar (Gypsy Moth)
• Noctuidae
  • Acronicta leporina (The Miller)
  • Acronicta megacephala (Poplar Grey)
  • Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
  • Agrochola circellaris (The Brick)
  • Amphipyra berbera (Svensson's Copper Underwing) – recorded on aspens
  • Amphipyra tragopoginis (Mouse Moth)
  • Catocala cara (Darling Underwing)
  • Catocala junctura (Joined Underwing) – recorded on Fremont Cottonwood (P. fremontii)
  • Discestra trifolii (The Nutmeg)
  • Orthosia cerasi (Common Quaker)
  • Orthosia gothica (Hebrew Character)
• Notodontidae
  • Furcula bifida (Poplar Kitten)
  • Nadata gibbosa (Rough Prominent)
  • Phalera bucephala (Buff-tip)
  • Ptilodon capucina (Coxcomb Prominent)
• Nymphalidae
  • Limenitis archippus (Viceroy Butterfly)
  • Limenitis arthemis (American White Admiral/Red-spotted Purple) – prefers Quaking Aspen (P. tremuloides) over Ontario Balsam Poplar (P. balsamifera), Eastern Cottonwood (P. deltoides) and Bigtooth Aspen (P. grandidentata)
  • Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty/Mourning Cloak)
• Oecophoridae
  • Epicallima formosella – recorded in dead wood of poplars and aspens
• Papilionidae
  • Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail) – recorded on cottonwoods
  • Papilio rutulus (Western Tiger Swallowtail) – recorded on Quaking Aspen
• Saturniidae
  • Coloradia pandora (Pandora Pinemoth) – recorded on aspens
  • Pavonia pavonia (Emperor Moth) – recorded on aspens
• Sphingidae
  • Laothoe populi (Poplar Hawk-moth)
  • Smerinthus jamaicensis (Twin-spotted Sphinx)

External links

• Caterpillar Hostplants Database