Plume Moth

We found an insect on a wall inside our house today. So we tried to identify it. It was a T shape, but as it suddenly took off we discovered it had wings and could fly !! Eventually we identified it as a plume moth.

I think it's a brown plume moth? It looks like other photos of Emmelina monodactyla that I've looked at.

Plume moths get their name from their wings, which are just a few feathery plumes. When they are resting they roll the plumes and hold them at right angles to the body forming the T shape that we noticed, and used to try and identify it. They are a type of micro moth.

Apparently they are quite common and found throughout the UK. So now if you come across one of these lovely little moths, which I think look a bit like a stick insect, you will know what it is.

Here is a photo of our plume moth. You can see some of the plumes on the left.

Plume Moth