Family Pterophoroidea. The white moth meaning isn’t as some might expect. Though they belong to the Apoditrysia like the larger moths and the butterflies, unlike these they are tiny and were formerly included among the assemblage called "Microlepidoptera". If you know which moth you would like more information on, use our A to Z of moths . These segments can be put one on top of the other. Its wings are deeply divided into several “fingers,” each of which is finely feathered, or plumed. To mimic other species, plume moths had to find a way to disguise their wings. You may look at many different species on BugGuide. To achieve this effect their wings are divided into small segments. The Pterophoridae of North America website by Deborah Matthews lists 154 species in North America. White Plume Moth Pterophorus pentadactyla Plume moths often look like large mosquitoes or crane flies. Plume moths are microlepidoptera, another name for tiny moths, and are understudied compared with larger, more charismatic species. Common species throughout UK, Identify a moth You can set or adjust your search criteria in the left hand column below. This white moth meaning is in direct opposition to the moth superstition that they cause death and destruction. In Maryland (USA), if a white moth enters the house, it is said that whoever sees it will die. Unlike most other moths, when it perches, it leaves its wings in a T-shape. The white Plume Moths Insect, Pterophorus pentadactyla from Europe, is probably the most distinctive of the Plume Moths Insect and one of the largest. Unmistakeable wings are deeply divided, or ‘plumed’ Habitat in dry grassland, fens, waste-ground and gardens. The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a family of Lepidoptera with unusually modified wings. Laothoe Populi It, and others in its family, are commonly known as "plume moths" since their wings have the appearance of fine feathers. Wingspan 26-34 mm. Also called the white plume moth, it usually has the appearance of a large white mosquito when flying. Overwintering caterpillars feed on convolvulus – bindweed. Sarah Gillespie White Plume Moth, Mezzotint, 2019 White Plume moth. We are not skilled enough to … In old Appalachian folklore, the appearance of white moths meant the ancestors were present – bringing protection and love. “They were just so unique,” she said. It is completely white and has wings that resemble fine feathers. The Zuni population of New Mexico believes that when you see white moths, you should expect the arrival of the heat, while, if they fly to the south-west, rain. 2. In Louisiana, the same thing is considered auspicious. Plume Moths Insect Wingspan 1-1.3 inches (2.5-3.4 cm).Platyptilia gonodactyla is found in the Northern Hemisphere. But when Matthews, a biological scientist at the Florida Museum of Natural History, first joined a plume moth research project in 1987, she got hooked. Dear Curious in Oregon, This is a Plume Moth in the family Pterophoridae. Plume moths have been known to fly in Missouri from February through December, but they are most commonly seen from spring through fall. The forewing of this species is divided 2 two lobes, or … White Plume Moth (Range: across Eurasia) Pterophorus pentadactyla is a pure white moth.