The American Chestnut Moth (Ectoedemia castaneae) was a species of moth in the Nepticulidae family. It was endemic to the United States, including Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
The wingspan is 7.5-8 mm.
The larvae formed galls encircling young twigs of American chestnut, resembling in shape and size egg-masses of the forest tent caterpillar. The moth's synergistic relationship with the North American nut species led to a catastrophic population decline when almost all of the American chestnut trees fell victim to a invading fungus. The American chestnut was driven almost to extinction, and the American Chestnut Moth was driven over the edge.
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