Subject: What is this moth
Geographic location of the bug: Colorado Mountains
Date: 08/30/2018
Time: 12:13 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I have these in my house and need to know what they are. They are pretty small.
How you want your letter signed: Toni
Dear Toni,
This is a Many Plumed Moth in the family Alucitidae and according to BugGuide: “wings consist of unusual and diagnostic feather-like plumes (rigid spines from which radiate flexible bristles), normally spread apart like a fan when the moth is at rest; there are six plumes per wing, for a total of twenty-four.” You have no cause for concern because moths that are considered Household Pests do damage during the larval stages and according to BugGuide: “larvae are borers in fruits, flowers, buds, or stems of host plant larvae feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), both of which are in the family Caprifoliaceae.”