Alucita hexadactyla
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Alucita hexadactyla (twenty-plume moth) is a "micromoth" of the many-plumed moth family (Alucitidae). It is found in Eurasia. It was previously thought to also occur in North America, but a 2004 study showed that the North American species are distinct.
The wingspan is 14–16 mm. Unlike a typical moth, which has two pairs of scaly wings, Alucita has about twenty thin feathery plumes (with scales on the supporting ribs). It perches with the wings outspread like a fan. The wings have a bold zigzag pattern in white, black and brown, which together with the shiny backward-pointing hairs on each plume make the adult moth distinctive. It is also popularly known as the many-plumed moth, while the specific name hexadactyla comes from the Greek for six-fingered. Single brooded, it can be found at any time of the year. It is common and often found in gardens, but is readily overlooked because of its small size.
The larvae feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera species) tunnelling in the flower buds and leaves. Holes and darkening of the buds indicate larval feeding. There is disagreement as to whether the larvae are leaf miners or gall causers.
Twenty... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Leeds | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Hamburg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Porto | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Twenty-Plume Moth sighting in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 189th most-seen of the 300 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Twenty-Plume Moth in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, June, August–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Twenty-Plume Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Twenty-Plume Moth sightings, Cairngorms National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Snowdonia National Park (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Wadden Sea National Park (Germany, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Twenty-Plume Moth that you can see in Cairngorms National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Oak Eggar (about 40%), Scotch Argus (about 40%) and Speckled Wood (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Twenty-Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Cairngorms National Park (9 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
