Adela singulella - Hodges#0220
Adela singulella
This record describes Adela singulella (species). Recorded family: Adelidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Antenna more than 3x forewing length; forewing narrow, length about 3.4x width, bronzy with complete white transverse band or white along costa at outer 1/3.
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
Geographic Range
California, southern Mendocino, Napa and northern Marin Counties (typical form); west slope of the Sierra Nevada (600-6000') from El Dorado to Kern County, in the Coast Ranges of Santa Clara County southward, to San Luis Obispo County (unbanded form), thence into the San Gabriel Mountains.
Seasonal Activity
Mid-May to mid-June north of San Francisco Bay, the central Sierra Nevada and the San Gabriel Mountains; April in south Coast Range and southern Sierra Nevada.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Gilia sp.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adela singulella. 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 singulella - Hodges#0220 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin; Additional contributions by Aaron Schusteff
Frequently Asked Questions About Adela singulella - Hodges#0220
What is Adela singulella - Hodges#0220?
Adela singulella - Hodges#0220 (Adela singulella) is a species in the family Adelidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Adela singulella - Hodges#0220?
Antenna more than 3x forewing length; forewing narrow, length about 3.4x width, bronzy with complete white transverse band or white along costa at outer 1/3.
Where is Adela singulella - Hodges#0220 found?
Range: California, southern Mendocino, Napa and northern Marin Counties (typical form); west slope of the Sierra Nevada (600-6000') from El Dorado to Kern County, in the Coast Ranges of Santa Clara County southward, to San Luis Obispo County (unbanded form), thence into the San Gabriel Mountains.
What does Adela singulella - Hodges#0220 eat?
The diet of the Adela singulella - Hodges#0220 includes Gilia sp..
When is Adela singulella - Hodges#0220 active?
Adela singulella - Hodges#0220: seasonal activity - Mid-May to mid-June north of San Francisco Bay, the central Sierra Nevada and the San Gabriel Mountains; April in south Coast Range and southern Sierra Nevada..