Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Fairy Moths and kin (Adeloidea) » Leafcutter Moths (Incurvariidae)

Family Incurvariidae - Leafcutter Moths

Maple Leafcutter Moth - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Maple Leafcutter Moth - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Blue and orange moth? - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Maple Leafcutter Moth - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Pennsylvania Moth - Phylloporia bistrigella Coleophora? - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Lepidoptera/Moth? - Oecophoridae? - Paraclemensia acerifoliella Pennsylvania Moth - Phylloporia bistrigella
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Adeloidea (Fairy Moths and kin)
Family Incurvariidae (Leafcutter Moths)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
The family Adelidae (Fairy Moths) was formerly included (as subfamily Adelinae) in Incurvariidae but was given family status by D.R. Davis in 1999. See Adelidae.
Numbers
6 species in 5 genera in North America listed in Pohl, et al. 2016 provisional checklist(1)
Identification
Adults - small moths with rough head scaling, relatively small eyes (diurnal), antenna shorter than forewing. Somber moths with dark, unicolorous, sometimes iridescent brown, bronze, or bluish wings (2)

Larvae - moderatley flattened, thoratic legs well developed but abdominal legs reduced, transverse bands (2)
Life Cycle
early instars are blotch miners, after which they cut through the upper and lower epidermis to remove oval sections, which the sew together to form a portable case, making larger cases as they grow (2)
Internet References
common name reference (Tree of Life, tolweb.org)
common name reference (Association for Tropical Lepidoptera)
Works Cited
1.Annotated taxonomic checklist of the Lepidoptera of North America, North of Mexico
Pohl, G.R., Patterson, B., & Pelham, J.P. 2016. ResearchGate.net.
2.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 9 May, 2005 - 7:10am
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Randy Hardy, Blocky
Last updated 25 September, 2018 - 7:23pm

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 © 2003-2021 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by: