List of Lepidoptera that feed on Prunus facts for kids

Prunus species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of a number of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). These include:

Monophagous

Species which feed exclusively on Prunus

• Bucculatricidae
  • Bucculatrix copeuta – only on pin cherry (P. pensylvanica)
• Coleophoridae
  • Several Coleophora case-bearer species:
    • C. adjectella – only on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
    • C. amygdalina
    • C. demissella – only on choke cherry (P. virginiana)
    • C. lapidicornis
    • C. prunifoliae – only on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
    • C. umbratica
• Geometridae
  • Rheumaptera prunivorata

Polyphagous

Species which feed on Prunus and other plants

• Arctiidae
  • Hypercompe indecisa
• Bucculatricidae
  • Bucculatrix pomifoliella
• Coleophoridae
  • Several Coleophora case-bearer species:
    • C. anatipennella – leaves – recorded on wild cherry (Prunus avium), blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), and possibly others
    • C. atlantica
    • C. atromarginata
    • C. badiipennella – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
    • C. cerasivorella
    • C. coracipennella – recorded on sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), bird cherry (Prunus padus), blackthorn (P. spinosa) and others
    • C. hemerobiella
    • C. laticornella – recorded on wild plum (Prunus americana)
    • C. lineapulvella
    • C. malivorella
    • C. nigricella
    • C. paripennella
    • C. pruniella
    • C. sacramenta
    • C. spinella (apple-and-plum case-bearer) – recorded on sour cherry (P. cerasus) and blackthorn (P. spinosa)
• Geometridae
  • Agriopis marginaria (dotted border)
  • Campaea margaritata (light emerald)
  • Chloroclysta truncata (common marbled carpet) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
  • Chloroclystis rectangulata (green pug) – recorded on cherry flowers
  • Colotois pennaria (feathered thorn)
  • Crocallis elinguaria (scalloped oak) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
  • Ectropis crepuscularia (engrailed)
  • Epirrita autumnata (autumnal moth)
  • Epirrita christyi (pale November moth)
  • Epirrita dilutata (November moth)
  • Erannis defoliaria (mottled umber)
  • Eupithecia exiguata (mottled pug)
  • Hemithea aestivaria (common emerald)
  • Lomographa bimaculata (white-pinion spotted) – leaves – recorded on wild cherry (P. avium), blackthorn (P. spinosa), and possibly others
  • Odontopera bidentata (scalloped hazel) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
  • Operophtera brumata (winter moth)
  • Opisthograptis luteolata (brimstone moth)
  • Peribatodes rhomboidaria (willow beauty) – leaves – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa) and possibly others
  • Selenia tetralunaria (purple thorn)
• Lasiocampidae
  • Malacosoma americanum (eastern tent caterpillar) – recorded on black cherry (Prunus serotina) and others
• Lymantriidae
  • Euproctis chrysorrhoea (brown-tail)
  • Euproctis similis (yellow-tail) – recorded on cherries
• Noctuidae
  • Agrochola circellaris (brick) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
  • Acronicta psi (grey dagger)
  • Acronicta tridens (dark dagger)
  • Amphipyra tragopoginis (mouse moth)
  • Cosmia trapezina (dun-bar)
  • Eupsilia transversa (satellite)
  • Melanchra persicariae (dot moth) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
  • Naenia typica (gothic)
  • Noctua comes (lesser yellow underwing) – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
  • Noctua janthina (lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing) – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
  • Orthosia cerasi (common Quaker)
  • Orthosia gothica (Hebrew character)
  • Phlogophora meticulosa (angle shades)
  • Xestia triangulum (double square-spot) – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa)
• Nolidae
  • Nola cucullatella (short-cloaked moth)
• Notodontidae
  • Nadata gibbosa (rough prominent)
  • Phalera bucephala (buff-tip)
  • Ptilodon capucina (coxcomb prominent) – recorded on bird cherry (P. padus)
• Nymphalidae
  • Limenitis arthemis (American white admiral/red-spotted purple) – prefers choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) over pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) and black cherry (P. serotina)
• Oecophoridae
  • Esperia oliviella – recorded in dead twigs of blackthorn (P. spinosa)
• Papilionidae
  • Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail) – recorded on cherries
  • Papilio multicaudata (two-tailed swallowtail) – recorded on choke cherries
• Saturniidae
  • Automeris io (Io moth) – recorded on pin cherry (P. pensylvanica)
  • Callosamia promethea (promethea silkmoth)
  • Hyalophora cecropia (cecropia moth)
  • Pavonia pavonia (emperor moth)
• Sphingidae
  • Ceratomia amyntor (elm sphinx) – recorded on cherries
  • Mimas tiliae (lime hawk-moth)
  • Smerinthus jamaicensis (twin-spotted sphinx) – recorded on peach (P. persica), plums and others
• Tortricidae
  • Enarmonia formosana (cherrybark tortrix) – recorded on bark of cherries
  • Epiphyas postvittana (light brown apple moth)
• Yponomeutidae
  • Scythropia crataegella (hawthorn moth) – recorded on blackthorn (P. spinosa) and others