#alucitidae

[aubrietarose]

Sometimes I get this silly notion I've seen it all when it comes to interesting critters (especially lepidopterans). Then nature comes along and whaps me over the head with something new.

How about a many-plumed moth? (Look up Alucitidae for more!)

Photo © Gilles San Martin (CC BY-SA)

[drhoz]

#1888 - Alucita phricodes

Photo by Katherine Owens, on a Lilly Pilly plant in SE Brisbane.

One of the Many-plumed Moths, or Alucitidae. In these moths the wing-veins, fringed with stiff hair-like scales, serve in the place of the normal wings of other moths and butterflies. I’m not sure why they’re called ‘phricodes’, since the only definition I’ve found is an obsolete medical term for a terrible fever with hallucinations, but ‘Fever-dream Moth’ is actually pretty apt.

The red caterpillars feed on the flowers and flower buds of the Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides), and Wonga Wonga Vine (Pandorea pandorana), in the Bignoniaceae, and the moth has been reported from Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria.

[rattyexplores]

Lepidoptera Study - Alucitidae

Alucitidae, or Many-plumed moths, have wings that are unlike other Lepidoptera. Instead of a seemingly flat surface made up of thousands of tiny scales, the wings on Alucitidae are made up of tiny feathers (usually around 10-20, though that is my estimate).

Better view of the wings. (The moth was too tiny for my phone to pick up many details)

Alucitidae are quite rare, having only 210 species in the family, most of which are found in Temperate to Subtropical regions. There is only one species that occurs in Britain and North America, Alucita hexadactyla, “Twenty-plumed Moth” (which feeds on Honeysuckle BTW).

[ecuadorlife]

Many-plumed moth, Alucitidae by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: from Ecuador: www.flickr.com/andreaskay/albums

[sinobug]

Many-plumed Moth (Alucita cf. spilodesma, Alucitidae) Instead of the typical wings, these small moths have fans of feathered ribs. by Sinobug (itchydogimages) on Flickr. Pu'er, Yunnan, China See more Chinese moths on my Flickr site HERE.....

[northwestnaturalist]

Alucita montana “Montana Six-plumed Moth” Alucitidae

Missoula, MT November 20, 2013 Robert Niese

This is a member of a rather large group of moths that fly using rackets, not paddles. The “plumes” of the plume moths are remarkably similar to feathers on a bird. Learn more about how these cool organisms are capable of flying here.

Happy National Moth Week!

[northwestnaturalist]

Alucita montana "Montana Six-plumed Moth" Alucitidae

Missoula, MT November 20, 2013 Robert Niese

This is a member of a rather large group of moths that fly using rackets, not paddles. The "plumes" of the plume moths are remarkably similar to feathers on a bird. Learn more about how these remarkable organisms are capable of flying here.

[astronomy-to-zoology]

Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)

...a species of many-plumed moth (Alucitidae) which is native to parts of Europe, but has been introduced into North America. Like other members of its family A. hexadactyla does not have the typical two pairs of scaled wings other moths have, instead it has ~20 thin plumes (which are also lined with small scales). Adult A. hexadactlya can be seen flying throughout most, if not all, of the year. A. hexadactlya caterpillars feed almost exclusively on honeysukle (Lonicera spp.) and are leaf miners, which means they will tunnel inside the leaf to feed whilst avoiding predators. 

Classification

Animalia-Arthropoda-Insecta-Lepidoptera-Alucitidae-Alucita-A. hexadactyla

Image: ©entomart