Ocean Spray Fairy Moth

Adela septentrionella

The Ocean Spray Fairy Moth is a tiny, delicate moth with beautiful wings that shimmer in the sunlight. It loves to flutter around flowers and is often found near coastal areas.

Lebensraum: Coastal areas

Aussehen

The Ocean Spray Fairy Moth has remarkably long, thread-like antennae that can be several times its body length. Its wings are slender and iridescent, often displaying a subtle metallic purple or green sheen, contrasting with its dark body and distinctive fuzzy, yellowish-orange head.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungLepidopteraFamilieAdelidaeGattungAdela

Ocean Spray Fairy Moth

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Baby Ocean Spray Fairy Moths start life as tiny leaf-mining caterpillars!

Despite being a moth, it often flies actively during sunny daylight hours!

Its antennae are incredibly long, up to five times its tiny body size!

This moth got its name from the "ocean spray" plant it loves!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Ocean Spray Fairy Moth has exceptionally long antennae that help them detect pheromones from mates and locate food sources.

Ocean Spray Fairy Moth can blend into dappled sunlight thanks to its shimmering, iridescent wings that scatter light like fairy dust.

Ocean Spray Fairy Moth can effectively pollinate plants because its fuzzy body collects and transfers pollen between flowers.

Maße und Details

Flügelspannweite: 4-8 mm
Größe: 2-4 mm
Lebenserwartung: 7-14 Tage
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

Adults sip nectar from flowers, while their tiny larvae munch on leaves.

Altersunterschiede: Adults drink nectar, but larvae mine and eat plant leaves.

Hauptnahrung

Nectar
Pollen
Leaves of Holodiscus discolor
Decaying leaves

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

pollinates

Ocean Spray

Holodiscus discolor

These moths are important pollinators for the Ocean Spray plant.

eats

Ocean Spray

Holodiscus discolor

Larvae mine the leaves of the Ocean Spray plant.

eaten by

Steller's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

Steller's Jays may snack on these tiny moths.

eaten by

Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus

Garden spiders build webs to catch flying insects like these moths.

Merkmale

Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger leben den größten Teil ihres Lebens allein und interagieren mit Artgenossen nur zur Paarung oder zur Aufzucht der Jungen.

Luftbewohnend

Luftbewohnende Tiere verbringen einen erheblichen Teil ihres Lebens in der Luft und nutzen den Flug für verschiedene Aktivitäten wie Jagd, Wanderungen oder Nestbau.