Biology:List of Lepidoptera that feed on poplars

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Poplars, Populus species, 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 (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 (miller)
  • Acronicta megacephala (poplar grey)
  • Acronicta psi (grey dagger)
  • Agrochola circellaris (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 (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

• Robinson, Gaden S.; Ackery, Phillip R.; Kitching, Ian J.; Beccaloni, George W.; Hernández, Luis M. (2010). "Hostplant Genus: Populus". Natural History Museum, London. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/hostplants/search/list.dsml?&PGenus=Populus&sort=Family.