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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Fairy Moths and kin (Adeloidea)

Superfamily Adeloidea - Fairy Moths and kin

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Identification · Life Cycle · Print References · Works Cited
Adela septentrionella - male Cauchas simpliciella? - Cauchas simpliciella Pyramidobela Moth - Tridentaforma Yucca stem larva - Prodoxus Adela caeruleella - male Lake Crabtree leaf miner on Parthenocissus quinquefolia D996 Antspila 2018 4 - Aspilanta Prodoxidae, Bogus Yucca Moth, lateral - Prodoxus 'Shield' - Antispila freemani
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)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Incurvarioidea
Numbers
119 species in 5 families in North America listed in Pohl, et al. 2016 provisional checklist(1)
Five families (according to Arnett) plus the introduced South American and South African family Cecidosidae.
Identification
Small, without ocelli and with a short proboscis with scales near the base; the hind wings have a strong frenulum.

Below is a guide to the local subfamilies of Adeloidea. The images included are meant to be illustrative of the general appearance of each subfamilies as an aid for narrowing down possibilities for identification. While the commonest elements of forewing maculation in each subfamilies are represented, many patterns are not.

Prodoxidae


Heliozelidae


Adelidae


Incurvariidae                                                                                            Tridentaformidae
                
Life Cycle
Larvae are leafminers when small but later cut out flattened cases to be used as shelters and pupal cases; some form cases from flower parts.
Print References
(2)
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.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 2 March, 2006 - 6:01pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, ceiseman, Kyhl Austin, Blocky
Last updated 31 January, 2022 - 12:09am

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