This is the time of year a tiny moth starts to make its appearance around my garden.  Alucitidae or Many plumed Moths are found primarily in Europe but in my parts (Vancouver Island) the one that is seen is the Twenty Plume Moth. These are considered “micromoths” and get their name due to their wing design. Unlike regular moths that have large scaled wings these plume moths have just that, feather like plumes that make up their wing set. In the case of the twenty plume moth there are again, as the name suggests approximately 20 of these plumes per wing.

These little moths are very small and have a wingspan of only around 14mm. Twenty Plume Moths are often found around the garden area with their wings spread out like little fans. Along with their small size and colouration they also tend to camouflage well into the bark of trees. This  can make them a little difficult to spot sometimes. You might have better luck to notice them if they make their way into your home attracted to the light. I find a cup and paper the best way to scoop them up and set them free as they tend to flutter from the paper and land safely in the glass.



Even when spotted these tiny moths when viewed with the naked eye can be easy to overlook as just a small grey insect. But when you look close you really can see the amazing anatomy these creatures have evolved into. The pattern is quite striking and the design of the wings is really very impressive. So many of the small critters of our gardens get passed over but they really have a lot to offer if you take the time to look close. They can be some of the most beautiful and amazing cool creepy critters someone can come across.