Adela purpurea

Walker, 1863

Purple Fairy Moth

Adela purpurea is a of fairy longhorn in the , described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is widespread across North America, ranging from the Yukon through the Canadian provinces to Quebec and south to northern New Jersey. are active in spring, with periods varying by latitude from April in New England to May-June in northern Canada. The species has been observed visiting willow blossoms.

Adela purpurea 70618908 by Susan Blayney. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Pancalia leuwenhoekella (42595260581) by Ben Sale from Stevenage, UK. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.-1285- Dicrorampha sp (41694289375) by Ben Sale from Stevenage, UK. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Adela purpurea: /əˈdɛlə pərˈpjʊriə/

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Distribution

North America: Yukon Territory through southern Canadian provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) to Quebec, and southward to northern New Jersey. Distribution records confirmed from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (Canada) and Vermont (USA).

Seasonality

active April through June; April in New England, May-June in northern Canada.

Host Associations

  • Salix - nectar source observed visiting willow blossoms

Similar Taxa

  • Adela caeruleellaSimilar metallic coloration and long characteristic of Adela; A. caeruleella occurs in eastern North America with overlapping range
  • Adela ridingsellaAnother North with unknown status in some regions; may co-occur in parts of range

More Details

Taxonomic history

Originally described by Francis Walker in 1863. was formerly considered a (Adelinae) of .

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Sources and further reading