BugGuide currently follows the moth classification and nomenclature used at All-Leps (with the exception of the non-North American species Alucita hexadactyla which has not been removed from the All-Leps list as of 4 September 2006).

Numbers

3 species in North America, according to Bernard and Jean-François Landry (2004), who state that Alucita hexadactyla does not occur in North America - see Internet References section below

130 species worldwide

Size

wingspan 10-15 mm

Identification

Adult: wings consist of unusual and diagnostic feather-like plumes (rigid spines from which radiate flexible bristles), normally spread apart like a fan when the moth is at rest; there are six plumes per wing, for a total of twenty-four

Larva: body pink, hides inside flowers of host plant, and pupates in a delicate fish-net cocoon

[Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Vancouver Island]

Range

Quebec and northeastern states to Florida, west to California, north to British Columbia and Northwest Territories [see genus page for distribution of the 3 North American species]

also represented in Europe and several regions of the world

Habitat

adults fly early in the evening or any time on cloudy days, and may sometimes be found in homes fluttering at windows

Season

adults fly in spring and again in late summer/fall

Food

larvae are borers in fruits, flowers, buds, or stems of host plant

larvae feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), both of which are in the family Caprifoliaceae

Remarks

Two new species were described by Bernard and Jean-François Landry in 2004, bringing the North American species total to three, none of which is Alucita hexadactyla (see Internet References section below).

See Also

Plume moths, Pterophoridae

Print References

Landry, Bernard and Jean-François Landry. 2004. The genus Alucita in North America, with description of two new species (Lepidoptera: Alucitidae). Can. Entomol. 136: 553- 579.

Internet References

names of the 3 North American species of Alucita and statement that A. hexadactyla does not occur in North America (Bernard and Jean-François Landry, 2004, The Canadian Entomologist)

pinned adult image of "A. hexadactyla", plus species numbers, biology, references (Gerald Fauske, Moths of North Dakota)

live adult image of "A. hexadactyla" plus food plants (Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island)

live adult images of A. hexadactyla (Jeff Higgott, UK Lepidoptera)

adult image of "A. hexadactyla" from Colorado (Larry Line, Mostly Moths of Maryland)

presence in Ontario; list of "A. hexadactyla" (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)

presence in Florida; list of "A. hexadactyla" (Michael Thomas, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)

presence in California; list of "A. hexadactyla" (U. of California at Berkeley)

presence of A. montana in Califormia; PDF doc list (U. of California at Berkeley)

classification of Alucita in family Alucitidae (Brian Pitkin, Butterflies and Moths of the World)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 6 February, 2006 - 12:46am
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 4 September, 2006 - 12:01pm

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