Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla (Linnaeus, 1758))
Scientific name: Alucita hexadactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Twenty-plume Moth
Other names: Many-plume Moth
French name: Ornéode du chèvrefeuille
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Heterocera
Family: Alucitidae
Subfamily: Alucitinae
Wingspan: 14-16 mm.
Biotope: Hedgerows, gardens.
Geographic area: Europe. This species is not listed in the 3 species of the Alucitidae family recorded in North America.
Flight time: Almost any time of the year. August till June of the following year.
Number of generations : 1
Caterpillar: The caterpillar is a pinkish colour.
Host plant: Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum).
The particularity of the Twenty-plume Moth is that each wing is separated into six 'plumes'.
The fore wings bear two broad brownish cross bands with a rather irregular shape. The hind wings do not bear any cross band.
This moth flies during the night and is attracted to light.
It overwinters as an imago and shelters in wood piles or barns.
There are several similar species (I have found at least 5 listed in France). They are difficult to differentiate.
The subterminal cross band starts with a single dark spot on the costal feather on Alucita hexadactyla and Alucita bidentata. It starts with two dark spots on Alucita grammodactyla, Alucita palodactyla and Alucita huebneri (in fact the dark spot is separated in 2 by a small white line).
Furthermore, Alucita grammodactyla, shows cross bands on the hind wings.
On the pictures found and identified as Alucita bidentata, I have observed that the cross bands with a rather regular width, very different from those of the Twenty-plume Moth (this is worth getting a confirmation from an expert).

Alucita sp. - Yvelines, France - August 5th 2006
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Alucita sp.
I have found this Twenty-plume Moth stuck on one window of the kitchen.
Next time, I will try to get a better picture than a "Chinese shadow", and with this kind of picture you must stay at Alucita sp.


Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) - Yvelines, France - October 3rd 2015
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Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)
Here we are, nine years delay for a new picture!
I have also been able to put a sheet of graph paper so that we can measure the size of this moth.


Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) - Yvelines, France - October 3rd 2015
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Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)
This Twenty-plume Moth entered the house, attracted to light. It landed on the ceiling and I had to get on a chair to shoot this picture.


Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) - Yvelines, France - April 5th 2017
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Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)
I disturbed this mating by moving logs in my wood shed.
These Twenty-plume Moths then came to land on a darker support which makes them better seen in the picture.


Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) - Yvelines, France - July 14th 2017
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Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)
This Twenty-plume Moth was again attracted to light and it entered into the house.

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