22 Feb 2025

Alucitidae

Submitted by walwyn
Share this
Twenty Plume Moth
Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)

 

The Alucitidae, or many-plumed moths, are a family of about 210 species of small moths worldwide. Their wings are uniquely divided into six or more narrow, feather-like plumes. The family was described by William Elford Leach in 1815 and belongs to the superfamily Alucitoidea. These moths occur in most regions except the Arctic and Antarctic; in North America, only a few species are recorded.

Adults are diurnal, with wingspans of 10–20 mm, and their plumed wings aid in camouflage among foliage. They feed on nectar or do not feed as adults. Larvae are leaf miners or borers, typically on plants in Apiaceae, Asteraceae, or Lamiaceae families.

The family includes genera such as Alucita (e.g., A. hexadactyla, the twenty-plume moth), Microschismus, and Orneodes. Recent studies have added new species, especially from Afrotropical hotspots like Mount Cameroon.

 

Species: