Proteoteras moffatiana

Hosts: Sugar maple appears to be the favored host, but silver maple and red maple are also commonly attacked.

Damage: Larvae bore in the shoots, buds, and petioles. They typically enter terminal buds where leaf petioles are attached and eject black frass. Entrance holes are about 1 mm in diameter. When buds are completely excavated, they mine other buds before shoot elongation is completed. In most trees, terminal bud clusters die then the stem dies back to its lateral buds. Damage to either lateral bud is comparatively rare, but when it occurs, one shoot elongates rather than both. Leaves with tunneled petioles drop prematurely, and injured buds are aborted. Tunneled shoots frequently die back. Injury results in growth loss, stem deformities, and branchiness.

Range: NY south to NJ and west to MN

- James D Solomon: (1995) Guide to Insect Borers in North American Broadleaf Trees and Shrubs^©