Hemlock Woolly Adelgid vs Doris Longwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Doris Longwing
Scientific Name Adelges tsugae Heliconius doris
Order Hemiptera Lepidoptera
Family Adelgidae Nymphalidae
Size 0.8-1.5 mm 65-80 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Asia, North America South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia)
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

A devastating invasive pest of eastern hemlock in North America, originally from East Asia. It feeds at the base of needles, killing branches and eventually the tree.

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Did You Know?

It has killed millions of hemlocks from Georgia to Maine since its detection in the 1950s.

Doris Longwing

A highly variable Heliconius butterfly that occurs in multiple color forms including blue, red, and green morphs. All forms share the same basic wing shape but differ dramatically in color pattern. It inhabits the understory of dense tropical forests.

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Did You Know?

A single population can contain blue, red, and green color morphs, all controlled by a single genetic switch, making it a model for studying wing pattern evolution.