Cottonwood Twig Borer

Gypsonoma haimbachiana

''Gypsonoma haimbachiana'', the cottonwood twig borer, is a moth of the Tortricidae family. It is found in eastern North America, from Canada to the Gulf states and west to Missouri.

The wingspan is 13–17 mm. Adults are ash grey. There are four or more generations per year in the southern part of their range.

The larvae feed on ''Populus'' sect. ''Aigeiros'' and other ''Populus'' species. Young larvae cover themselves with silk mixed with trash and then bore into the midrib of their host plant. After some days, they leave the midrib gallery and tunnel into a young shoot to complete their larval development. Full-grown larvae move down the trunk to spin a cocoon in a sheltered bark crevice, in litter or between leaf folds. It is one of the most destructive insects of young cottonwood. Full-grown larvae are pale, with a brown-yellow head. They reach a length of 10–13 mm.
Cottonwood Twig Borer - Gypsonoma haimbachiana TL: ~8 mm. Whitish FW with sharply angled border. Host: Cottonwood

Habitat: Attracted to a 395 nm LED light in a semi-rural area Cottonwood Twig Borer,Geotagged,Gypsonoma haimbachiana,Summer,United States,moth

Naming

The species is named for Frank Haimbach, who collected the first specimens in Cincinnati, Ohio.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyTortricidae
GenusGypsonoma
SpeciesG. haimbachiana