Adela reaumurella
This record describes Adela reaumurella (species). Recorded family: Adelidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 14-18 mm. The males have long, whitish antennae, the females shorter with both sexes having bronzy or metallic greenish forewings. Open areas such as heath, moorland, country gardens, parks and wherever the larval food plants are to be found. The moths fly in the daytime during May and June, sometimes occurring in swarms, and often around the tops of trees and bushes. The caterpillar lives in a portable case and feeds on leaf-litter of Oak and Birch. A fairly common species in England, Wales and southern Scotland, more local in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Adela reaumurella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela reaumurella.
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
Open areas such as heath, moorland, country gardens, parks and wherever the larval food plants are to be found.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in the daytime during May and June, sometimes occurring in swarms, and often around the tops of trees and bushes.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The caterpillar lives in a portable case and feeds on leaf-litter of Oak and Birch.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A fairly common species in England, Wales and southern Scotland, more local in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adela reaumurella. 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 reaumurella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Adela reaumurella
What is Adela reaumurella?
Adela reaumurella is a species in the family Adelidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Adela reaumurella found?
Habitat: Open areas such as heath, moorland, country gardens, parks and wherever the larval food plants are to be found.
When is Adela reaumurella active?
Adela reaumurella: seasonal activity - The moths fly in the daytime during May and June, sometimes occurring in swarms, and often around the tops of trees and bushes..
What is the life cycle of a Adela reaumurella?
The caterpillar lives in a portable case and feeds on leaf-litter of Oak and Birch.