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
- 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)