Adela croesella
This record describes Adela croesella (species). Recorded family: Adelidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 11 to 14 mm. The males of this species have very long antennae, the females shorter with a thickened base. The moths are on the wing in late May and June, and fly during the day in sunshine, visiting flowers. The larvae are thought to feed at first on flowers of sea-buckthorn or privet, later building a portable case from leaf fragments and particles of soil and feeding on leaves which have fallen. Distributed locally throughout England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Adela croesella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela croesella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Adeloidea
- Family
- Adelidae (Fairy Moths)
- Subfamily
- Adelinae
- Genus
- Adela
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas containing the larval foodplants.
Seasonal Activity
The moths are on the wing in late May and June, and fly during the day in sunshine, visiting flowers.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae are thought to feed at first on flowers of sea-buckthorn or privet, later building a portable case from leaf fragments and particles of soil and feeding on leaves which have fallen.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed locally throughout England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adela croesella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Adela croesella (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Adela croesella
What is Adela croesella?
Adela croesella is a species in the family Adelidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Adela croesella found?
Habitat: Areas containing the larval foodplants.
When is Adela croesella active?
Adela croesella: seasonal activity - The moths are on the wing in late May and June, and fly during the day in sunshine, visiting flowers..
What is the life cycle of a Adela croesella?
The larvae are thought to feed at first on flowers of sea-buckthorn or privet, later building a portable case from leaf fragments and particles of soil and feeding on leaves which have fallen.