List of Lepidoptera that feed on willows

Willows, sallows and osiers (Salix species) are used as food plants by the larvae (caterpillars) of a large number of Lepidoptera species including the following.

Monophagous species

Species that feed exclusively on Salix.

• Batrachedridae
  • Batrachedra salicipomenella
• Coleophoridae
  • Several Coleophora case-bearer species:
    • C. albidella – only on S. aurita , goat willow ( S. caprea ), grey willow ( S. cinerea ) and S. repens
    • C. bedella – only on S. excelsa
    • C. castipennella
    • C. kearfottella
    • C. zelleriella
• Geometridae
  • Slender pug (Eupithecia tenuiata)
• Hepialidae
  • Sthenopis thule
• Nepticulidae
  • Ectoedemia intimella ^[1]
• Noctuidae
  • Minor shoulder-knot (Brachylomia viminalis)
• Sesiidae
  • Sallow clearwing ( Synanthedon flaviventris )
• Tortricidae
  • Cydia servillana

Polyphagous species

Species that feed on Salix and other plants.

• Arctiidae
  • Giant leopard moth (Ecpantheria scribonia)
• Batrachedridae
  • Batrachedra praeangusta
  • Batrachedra striolata – recorded on arroyo willow ( Salix lasiolepsis )
• Bedelliidae
  • Bedellia somnulentella
• Coleophoridae
  • Several Coleophora case-bearer species:
    • C. anatipennella
    • C. atlantica
    • C. currucipennella
    • C. lusciniaepennella
    • C. malivorella
    • C. piperata
    • C. pruniella – recorded on crack willow ( Salix fragilis )
    • C. salicivorella
• Geometridae
  • Agriopis marginaria (dotted border)
  • Alcis repandata (mottled beauty)
  • Cabera exanthemata (common wave)
  • Cabera pusaria (common white wave)
  • Chloroclysta truncata (common marbled carpet)
  • Colotois pennaria (feathered thorn)
  • Crocallis elinguaria (scalloped oak)
  • Ectropis crepuscularia (engrailed)
  • Epirrita autumnata (autumnal moth)
  • Eupithecia pusillata (juniper pug) – Americas only
  • Eupithecia subfuscata (grey pug)
  • Eupithecia vulgata (common pug)
  • Hemithea aestivaria (common emerald)
  • Lomaspilis marginata (clouded border)
  • Odontopera bidentata (scalloped hazel)
  • Operophtera brumata (winter moth)
  • Opisthograptis luteolata (brimstone moth)
• Hepialidae
  • Sthenopis argenteomaculatus
  • Sthenopis purpurascens
• Lymantriidae
  • Euproctis chrysorrhoea (brown-tail)
  • Euproctis similis (yellow-tail)
  • Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth)
• Nepticulidae
  • Stigmella salicis – also found on Myrica gale ^[2]
• Noctuidae
  • Acronicta leporina (miller)
  • Acronicta megacephala (poplar grey)
  • Acronicta psi (grey dagger)
  • Acronicta tridens (dark dagger)
  • Agrochola circellaris (brick) – recorded on common osier ( S. viminalis )
  • Amphipyra berbera (Svensson's copper underwing)
  • Amphipyra tragopoginis (mouse moth)
  • Antitype chi (grey chi)
  • Catocala cara (darling underwing) – prefers black willow ( S. nigra )
  • Catocala delilah (Delilah underwing)
  • Catocala junctura (joined underwing)
  • Cosmia trapezina (dun-bar)
  • Diarsia mendica (ingrailed clay)
  • Diarsia rubi (small square-spot)
  • Eugnorisma glareosa (autumnal rustic)
  • Euplexia lucipara (small angle shades)
  • Eupsilia transversa (satellite)
  • Melanchra persicariae (dot moth)
  • Naenia typica (gothic)
  • Noctua comes (lesser yellow underwing)
  • Noctua janthina (lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing)
  • Ochropleura plecta (flame shoulder)
  • Orthosia cerasi (common Quaker)
  • Orthosia gothica (Hebrew character)
  • Xestia triangulum (double square-spot)
  • Xestia xanthographa (square-spot rustic)
• 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) – recorded on beaked willow ( S. bebbiana ) and others
  • Apatura iris (purple emperor) - recorded on goat willow (S. caprea), crack willow (S. fragilis), grey willow (S. cinerea) and (S. atrocinerea) and various species of poplar
  • Nymphalis antiopa (mourning cloak/Camberwell beauty) - recorded on black willow (S. nigra), bay willow (S. pentandra), goat willow (S. caprea), eared willow (S. aurita), tea-leaved willow (S. phylicifolia) and others ^[3]
• Pyralidae
  • Endotricha flammealis
• Saturniidae
  • Automeris io (Io moth)
  • Pavonia pavonia (emperor moth)
• Sesiidae
  • Red-tipped clearwing ( Synanthedon formicaeformis )
• Sphingidae
  • Laothoe populi (poplar hawk-moth)
  • Smerinthus jamaicensis (twin-spotted sphinx)

References

1. "4.082 Ectoedemia intimella (Zeller, 1848)". British leafminers. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
2. "4.035 Stigmella salicis (Stainton, 1854)". British leafminers. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
3. "Larval Foodplants". UK Butterflies. Retrieved 15 August 2023.

External links

• Robinson, Gaden S.; Ackery, Phillip R.; Kitching, Ian J.; Beccaloni, George W. & Hernández, Luis M. (2010). "Hostplant Genus: Salix". HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London.