Adela croesella

Description

Adela croesella is a moth of the family Adelidae. It is found in most of Europe. The wingspan is 11–14 mm. Head ferruginous mixed with black. Antennae in male 2.5 black, tip white ; in female hardly 1.5, thickened with violet-black scales to above middle, remainder white. Forewings shining dark violet fuscous, more or less streaked suflusedly between veins with golden - ochreous ; a straight deep yellow fascia close beyond middle, narrower costally, edged first with dark fuscous and then with narrow violet fasciae. Hindwings dark purplish fuscous. Adults are on wing from late May to June. They are on wing during the day in sunshine and visit flowers. At first, the larvae probably feed on flowers of Hippophae rhamnoides or Ligustrum vulgare. Older larvae built a portable case from leaf fragments and particles of soil and feed on fallen leaves. Adela is a genus of the fairy longhorn moth family (Adelidae). Among these, it belongs to subfamily Adelinae.