Himmelman's Plume Moth - Geina tenuidactyla
Moth Family: Pterophoridae -  Plume Moths / Geina tenuidactyla (Himmelman's Plume Moth - Hodges#6092)
Live adult moths photographed at  DuPage County IL Size: Body sans antennae: 8mm / Wingspan: 19mm
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Himmelman's Plume Moth

This little moth stunned me when I got this shot home and onto the big screen.  Thanks to Bob Patterson for the ID.

The forewings of plume moths usually consist of two curved spars with more or less bedraggled bristles trailing behind. This resembles the closely related Alucitidae at first glance, but the latter have a greater number of symmetrical plumes. The hindwings are similarly constructed, but have three spars. A few genera have normal lepidopteran wings.

The usual resting posture is with the wings extended laterally and narrowly rolled up. Often they resemble a piece of dried grass, and may pass unnoticed by potential predators even when resting in exposed situations in daylight. Some species have larvae which are stem- or root-borers while others are leaf-browsers. [1]


Himmelman's Plume Moth
Economically important pterophorids include the Artichoke Plume Moth (Platyptilia carduidactyla), a pest in California, while the Geranium Plume Moth and the Snapdragon Plume Moth cause damage to garden flowers, including Geraniums and snapdragons.

Plume moths have been used as biological control agents against invasive plant species – Lantanophaga pusillidactyla against West Indian Lantana (Lantana camara), Oidaematophorus beneficus against Mistflower (Ageratina riparia), Hellinsia balanotes against Groundsel Bush (Baccharis halimifolia), and Wheeleria spilodactylus against Horehound (Marrubium vulgare). [1]
Himmelman's Plume Moth

References

  1. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, "Plume Moth"

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