Many-plumed moth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
iAlucitidae | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Tineida" from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur, 1904
|
||||||||||||||
Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Diversity | ||||||||||||||
9 genera 130 species |
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Alucita hexadactyla |
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Alinguata |
The Alucitidae or many-plumed moths are a family of Lepidoptera with unusually modified wings. Both fore- and hind-wings consist of about six rigid spines, from which radiate flexible bristles creating a structure similar to a bird's feather.
The family is small with about 130 species described. Both in Britain and North America only one of these is found - Alucita hexadactyla. This smallish moth can often be found fluttering in the evening twilight or resting with its 'wings' outstretched. Its larvae feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera).