Species Adela trigrapha - Hodges#0225

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Works Cited

Small lep with large antennae - Adela trigrapha

Male Fairy Moth from Mt Diablo - Adela trigrapha - male

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

No Taxon (Moths)

Superfamily Incurvarioidea

Family Adelidae (Fairy Moths)

Subfamily Adelinae

Genus Adela

Species trigrapha (Adela trigrapha - Hodges#0225)

Hodges Number

0225

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Author: Zeller, 1876

Size

forewing length 5.5 - 6.2 mm, some inland populations smaller (FWL 4.5 - 5.5 mm); females smaller than males(1)

Identification

Adults - males have large eyes, long white antenna 3 times forewing length, black forewing crossed by three white lines which are reduced to two or only traces in some populations. Females have smaller eyes, smaller antenna (1.5 X FWL) and bright orange head. Forewing bright, metallic blue, hindwing purple (1)

Range

Vancouver Island to southern California, including Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands (1)

Food

adults of both sexes visit other plants for nectar, especially Asteraceae (1)

Life Cycle

females oviposit on Leptosiphon androsaceus (syn. Linanthus androsaceus) and L. bicolor (1)

Remarks

males are often seen in small dancing groups in open flowery meadows (1)

Works Cited

1.	Moths of Western North America By Powell and Opler

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 5 May, 2009 - 5:45pm
Additional contributions by John Davis, Randy Hardy
Last updated 1 July, 2011 - 6:50pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2012 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version