Several species of moths roll, fold, or tie foliage in the process of constructing a shelter in which the caterpillar feeds and/or rests. The species most commonly associated with sugar maple rarely cause significant damage. However, their feeding behavior makes even sparse populations conspicuous.

The most thorough documentation of extensive damage associated with members of this group is from observations in Wisconsin during the late 1950s. Foliage contorted by unusually high populations of the maple leafroller (Sparganothis acerivorana) (Fig. 45) and the lesser maple leafroller (Acleris chalybeana) provided egg-laying sites for the maple webworm (Tetralopha asperatella). Defoliation by the latter was the major factor that predisposed sugar maple to a decline called maple blight. The maple leafroller apparently has caused significant damage in Quebec and Ontario.

Webworm caterpillars are gregarious and each colony ties several leaves together with silk to form a conspicuous, unkempt nest. Full-grown caterpillars are 0.6 to 0.8 inch (15 to 20mm) long and range from pale yellow (Fig. 46) through various shades of green to dark brown (Fig. 47).