Family: Alucitidae Checklist Number: 44.001
Alucita hexadactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Many-plumed Moth/Twenty-plume Moth
The original vernacular name of twenty-plume moth (still in common use) is a misnomer, as each wing is separated into 6 'plumes'. The specific epithet is more accurate, meaning 'six-fingered'. Alucitidae is a family of just this one species. It’s common throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but more sporadic in Scotland. The Outer Hebrides is its north-western outpost and only found here in 2021. The moth is nocturnal and attracted to light. The larva feeds on the leaves and buds of honeysuckle (Lonicera).
References:
Sterling, P. & Parsons, M. (2023 second edition). Field Guide to the Micro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland.