Family Pterophoridae - Plume moths

Wings divided into feather-like plumes, furled up when resting leaving little visible detail.

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Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (Hübner, 1813)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street 25 Sep 2014. Checklist: 45.010 Typically rests with wings slightly open so at least some of the patterning can be seen. A richer brown colour than the similar A. punctidactyla. Larvae feed on a large range of plants, including restharrow, hedge woundwort, geraniums, goosefoot, heathers and mints.

Crescent Plume Marasmarcha lunaedactyla (Haworth, 1811)

Checklist: 45.023 Gwydir Street: 25 Jun 2023 Said to prefer dry habitats "such as downland, shingle beaches and sand-dunes" - but recent records seem to show an expanding range in southern England. The larvae feed on rest-harrow (Ononis spp.). NBN Atlas

White Plume Moth Pterophorus pentadactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street (on my jeans!) 9 Jul 2002. Checklist: 45.030 This species tends to rest with the fingered and plumed wings clearly visible.

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Gwydir Street 28 Jun 2002. Checklist: 45.044 This species tends to rest with its wings furled up so little detail can be seen.

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