Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226
Adela eldorada
This record describes Adela eldorada (species). Recorded family: Adelidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adults - more brightly colored, with broader, cream-colored bands than A. trigraphia . Males have some orange scaling on the head A detailed description of A. eldorada and a comparison with A. trigrapha appears on pg 221 of the synopsis by Powell .
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
Sheltered, shrubby sites rather than open meadows like A. trigraphia
Geographic Range
Central and southern Sierra Nevada foothills from 1500' to 6000'
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adela eldorada. 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 eldorada - Hodges#0226 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by John Davis , Aaron Schusteff , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226
What is Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226?
Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226 (Adela eldorada) is a species in the family Adelidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226?
Males forewing length 6.5 - 7.5 mm, females 5.5 - 6.2 mm
How do you identify Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226?
Adults - more brightly colored, with broader, cream-colored bands than A. trigraphia . Males have some orange scaling on the head
Where is Adela eldorada - Hodges#0226 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Sheltered, shrubby sites rather than open meadows like A. trigraphia |
| Range | Central and southern Sierra Nevada foothills from 1500' to 6000' |