Beautiful Plume Moth

Beautiful Plume Moth

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Birmingham

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%

54 Verified sightings at Birmingham
September Best month

About the Beautiful Plume Moth

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, also known as the beautiful plume, is a moth of the family Pterophoroidea found in across the Palearctic including Europe. The species was first described by the German entomologist, Jacob Hübner in 1813.

The wingspan is 17–23 millimetres (0.67–0.91 in). The imago of the beautiful plume is similar in appearance to the brindled plume (Amblyptilia punctidactyla) but is a warm reddish-brown (cf. darker appearing greyish-brown of the brindled plume, which also has distinct white speckling). Examination of the genitalia is required for certain identification.

The moth flies almost year-round with two generations, flying in July and from September to June (hibernating as an imago). They fly from dusk and the autumn moths have been found on ivy (Hedera helix). The larvae feed on various low growing plants, including, restharrow (Ononis spp.), hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica), cranesbills (Geranium species), cultivated geraniums (Pelargonium species), goosefoots (Chenopodium species), heathers (Calluna and Erica species), mints (Mentha species), sage (Salvia), wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia), lavender (Lavandula species), eyebright (Euphrasia... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
2 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
4 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
5 Dublin 🇮🇪 Ireland
~10%
6 Leeds 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
7 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Beautiful Plume Moth in Birmingham?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Beautiful Plume Moth sighting in Birmingham on a given day, based on 54 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 165th most-seen of the 811 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Beautiful Plume Moth in Birmingham?

September and October

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Beautiful Plume Moth in Birmingham on a given day, against under 5% in January to March, the lowest months.

Is Birmingham the best place to see a Beautiful Plume Moth?

3rd of 7

Of the 7 cities where we can rate Beautiful Plume Moth sightings, Birmingham ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 20%) and London (United Kingdom, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Beautiful Plume Moth live in Birmingham?

Same family: Pterophoridae

The closest relatives of the Beautiful Plume Moth that you can see in Birmingham (family Pterophoridae, Plume Moths) are Morning-Glory Plume Moth (about 10%) and Brown Silver-Line (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Beautiful Plume Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Beautiful Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Birmingham (54 verified sightings), 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.

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