Insects Feeding
on St. John's Wort
(Hypericum spp.)
Insect & Family Names
(Scientific & Common)

Chrysolina hyperici * ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Chrysolina quadrigemina * ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Graphops curtipennis
(no common name)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Paria sellata
(no common name)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Anthonomus rutilus **
(no common name)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Dasineura toweri ***
(no common name)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Neolasioptera triadenii §
(no common name)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Poecilocapsus lineatus
(Four-lined Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Taedia heidemanni
(no common name)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Aphis hyperici §§ ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Aphis mizzou §§
(no common name)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Hyalomyzus mitchellensis §§§ ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Hyalomyzus sensoriatus ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Hyalomyzus triangulatus ¶ ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Clastoptera hyperici ¥¥¥
(St. John's Wort Spittlebug)
Cercopidae (Spittlebugs)

Erasmoneura margaritae ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Erasmoneura rubricata ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Aonidomytilus crookiae ¥¥¥
(St. John's Wort Scale)
Diaspididae (Armored Scales)

Aonidomytilus hyperici ¶¶ ¥¥¥
(Hypericum Scale)
Diaspididae (Armored Scales)

Lepidosaphes ulmi ¶¶
(Oystershell Scale)
Diaspididae (Armored Scales)

Eupithecia miserulata ¶¶¶
(Common Pug)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths)

Synchlora aerata ¶¶¶
(Wavy-lined Emerald)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths)

Caloptilia hypericella ¥ ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Gracillariidae (Leaf-blotch Miner Moths)

Strymon melinus **
(Gray Hairstreak)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)

Nepticula hypericella ¥¥ ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Nepticulidae (Midget Moths)

Melanchra assimilis ¥
(Black Arches)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Nedra ramosula ¥¥¥
(Gray Half-spot)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Agonopterix hyperella ¥¥¥
(no common name)
Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)


* introduced into N. America as a biocontrol
of Hypericum perforatum
** larvae feed on seeds, *** larvae form bud galls
§ larvae form galls on stems
§§ found on young shoots and/or leaf undersides
§§§ found on flower buds and/or leaf petioles
¶ found on axils of leaves
¶¶ found on twigs or under flakey shredded bark
¶¶¶ larvae feed on flowers, ¥ larvae are leaf-rollers
¥¥ larvae are leaf-miners
¥¥¥ oligophagous on Hypericum spp.

Note: Armored scales are found on shrubby
Hypericum spp. only

Sources: Clark et al. (2004), Felt (1917),
Blackman & Eastop (2013), Dmitriev & Dietrich (2010),
ScaleNet website (2014), Wagner (2005),
Milne & Milne (1980), Covell (1984/2005),
Panzer et al. (2006), Needham et al. (1928),
Wheeler et al. (1983), Wilhelm & Rericha (2017),
Hamilton (1982)

Return