Explanation of Names
Adela is a Spanish feminine proper name with some historical significance: Saint Adela, etc. (Based on Internet searches.)
Numbers
Arnett lists three genera and 17 species.
(1)
18 species in 3 genera listed at
All-LepsIdentification
Very long antennae. Some species found on flowers.
Season
Adults fly April-May (Adela: North Carolina, Minnesota, eastern US)
Food
Larvae reported to feed on leaf fragments on ground.
Adults probably feed on nectar, since found at flowers.
Print References
Covell, pp. 454-455 Incurvariidae.
(2)
Brimley, p. 313, lists
Adela bella (Raleigh, etc. April, May). This is a synonym of
A. caeruleella, see this listing of
synonyms.
(3)Internet References
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists in Incurvariidae, but only one genus and species from Adelidae for the state:
Adela caeruleella (14 specimens pinned)
live adult image of
Adela septentrionella and other info (Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island)
pinned adult image of
Adela purpurea (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)
classification of
Adela in family Adelidae by Davis,
in Kristensen, 1999 (Butterflies and Moths of the World)
