White Plume Moth from the UK

white dragonfly type
Location: bristol, england, uk
June 14, 2011 2:01 pm
i was clearing some weeds from around my dahlias, astors and honesty when this beautiful white flying insect flew out then landed on the grass. i thought it was so beautiful and am now desperate to find out what it is as i have never seen it before. i have searcjed google and cant seem to identify it. it was about (very appx) 1 inch in length with a somilar wingspan. it has bern quite hot here today following a very wet spell.can u help?
Signature: natalie

Hi Natalie,
This is most definitely a Plume Moth in the family Pterophoridae, and after searching the UK Moths website, we believe it is the White Plume Moth, Pterophorus pentadactyla.  Your photo does not clearly illustrate the very distinctive wings of the White Plume Moth because of the camera angle, but we still believe the identification is correct.  The UK Moths website indicates:  “Probably the most distinctive of the ‘Plume’ moths, and one of the largest. Its wings are deeply divided into several ‘fingers’, each of which is finely feathered, or plumed.  Quite common over much of Britain, inhabiting dry grassland, waste ground and gardens.   The adults fly from dusk onwards in June and July, and sometimes have a second generation in September.”