Genus Aristotelia

Aristotelia Hübner, 1825 (1)

Formerly in tribe Gelechiini. (2)

Generic epithet presumably for the Greek philosopher.

There are 39 named species of Aristotelia in America north of Mexico (2).

Adult - distinctive, nearly all have similar, ornate forewing pattern consisting of brown to redish or black ground with a series of parallel pale, often silvery streaks obliquely from the costa and opposite spots along the dorsal margin. The posterior half is reddish, pink, lavender, or yellow(3)

Represented throughout United States and southern Canada.

Well known species are food plant specialists, and diverse hosts are used - Salicaceae, Solanaceae, Rosaceae, Fagaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae.(3)

Aristotelia is also a genus of plants in the Elaeocarpus family (Elaeocarpaceae).

Hübner, J., 1825. Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge, p.424.

pinned adult images of 28 species by SangMi Lee (Moth Photographers Group)