February 12, 2012
Late night visitor
Last night as I sat at the computer I noticed a slight motion just to my left. A tiny moth (measuring about a quarter of an inch from wingtip to wingtip) had landed on the desk beside me. It had a rather pleasing silverish look to its wings, which also seemed to have an unusual configuration. It stayed around long enough for a photo. I had never noticed anything with that kind of wing before. Today, it took me over an hour to identify it: (my skills at identifying insects are sadly under par). After looking at 235 pages of insect photos, on the very last page, the very last photo, was a picture of Alucita montana, a Six-plume moth.
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Montana Outdoors 
thank so much for sharing this! never have seen wings like this.
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Comment by C.C. — February 12, 2012 @ 1:22 pm
I had not either, until I saw the lens focus on it. Until then I thought it was just a pretty little moth.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 10:56 pm
So unusual and very beautiful!
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Comment by Colleen — February 12, 2012 @ 1:30 pm
Yes, a pretty and delicate little creature.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 10:57 pm
I’ve never seen anything like it. What a lovely angelic visitor from nature.
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Comment by Teresa Evangeline — February 12, 2012 @ 1:43 pm
I know I’ve seen these many times, but never so closely. It was a delightful visit!
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:09 pm
Incredible…would find it hard to believe the wing is split into six separate pieces if I hadn’t seen it for myself…nice photo. And thank you. 🙂
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Comment by seekraz — February 12, 2012 @ 1:47 pm
It was a surprise to me too. I first thought it might have been damaged, but looking at it closely I could see it was OK.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:10 pm
I discovered (as I’m sure you did) that it’s rather widespread and not exactly “rare”, but given its size and coloration, I think it would be extremely difficult to see – even in plain sight. I’ve never seen anything like it, for sure. Your photo is much better than the ones I found, too, but that’s no surprise at all! I’m so glad it was willing to hang around to have its portrait made!
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Comment by shoreacres — February 12, 2012 @ 1:48 pm
I think the most surprising thing was that it is not rare, and I’ve probably seen hundreds of them without closely examining any of them. A little embarrassing.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:12 pm
That is one amazing looking moth! Look out Mothra!
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Comment by Roberta — February 12, 2012 @ 2:43 pm
It sure is. Seems to fly just fine.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:12 pm
Wow, amazing! And so tiny. Guess we should look closer at those little annoying things flitting around the computer screen.
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Comment by laveta segura — February 12, 2012 @ 3:34 pm
You’re right. I should have learned that by now! I like this little guy.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:13 pm
What absolutely exquisite detail. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a moth’s wings that up close!
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Comment by Marcie — February 12, 2012 @ 3:49 pm
A good lens is a blessing, isn’t it. On my screen, the moth is six inches across, so that would be about 24 times its life size.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:18 pm
He’s very unusual looking!
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — February 12, 2012 @ 4:40 pm
Yes, yet at a glance, without magnification, just a tiny, silver-colored moth.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:19 pm
I wonder how it can fly with wings that look like they are in pieces. It sure is a fantastic creature.
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Comment by New Hampshire Gardener — February 12, 2012 @ 5:11 pm
It’s fascinating to wonder how it can fly, which it seem to do very well. I also wonder what kind of strategy produced the design.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:24 pm
If that isn’t the most unusual moth! I know what you mean by looking up the identity. Ducks are my weak suit — I never get the type right unless it is a mallard male! Interesting desk color you have — a bit of turquoise?
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Comment by Jack Matthews — February 12, 2012 @ 5:14 pm
I do a little better with ducks than I do with insects. I have bookmarked several dozen sites that deal with butterflies.
The desk is a most cherished possession. It is an old 3′ X 5′ desk that was restored and refinished by my wife’s mother. It’s a beautiful antique style of finish and it is a very beautiful desk.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:29 pm
I’m happy that you were able to get the photo… I’ve never seen anything like it… Beautiful!!
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Comment by kcjewel — February 12, 2012 @ 8:31 pm
I’m happy about it too, Jewel. I was pretty excited when I saw what the lens saw.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:30 pm
fascinating!
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Comment by Roberta — February 12, 2012 @ 9:53 pm
Yes, another fascinating thing of nature. There is no end to all of them!
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:31 pm
i think that i would have ran screaming instead of reaching for a camera. do you see many “moths” around in the dead of winter?
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Comment by Sandy — February 12, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
I have always found it interesting that I do see insects around in the middle of winter. One would not think they would be out then. Moths though are unusual this time of year.
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Comment by montucky — February 12, 2012 @ 11:33 pm
It’s beautiful – like some kind of fairy moth! I wonder what’s the advantage of such heavily serrated wings?
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Comment by Jo Woolf — February 13, 2012 @ 1:36 am
I wonder too. It is a strange adaptation, but to what?
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Comment by montucky — February 13, 2012 @ 1:50 am
How pretty , the wings are very unusual. Thanks for sharing the photo and the id. Have a great week!
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Comment by Eileen — February 13, 2012 @ 3:20 am
Yes, I thought them quite unusual too. Have a great week too!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:53 am
Thanks (to you and the moth) for sharing. Surprised that those wings allow it to fly at all.
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Comment by Mike — February 13, 2012 @ 4:53 am
That wing configuration, sure changes my ideas about how some insects fly! The flight patterns of the little thing didn’t seem at all unusual.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:54 am
Wow, that is very cool.
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Comment by anniespickns — February 13, 2012 @ 7:35 am
I love discovering little creatures like this and being surprised when I take a close look!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:55 am
Wow I have never seen anything like this before…it looks very alien! Very cool!!!
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Comment by dhphotosite — February 13, 2012 @ 9:06 am
Yes, vastly different from my concept of wings.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:56 am
WOW WOW WOW, simply gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — February 13, 2012 @ 9:54 am
Yes, it is a gorgeous little thing!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:56 am
I bet it’s nice to have a blog subject come to you for a change. It is a strange looking moth. Almost looks like it has feathers.
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Comment by btweenblinks — February 13, 2012 @ 10:09 am
It is. Almost as if it had knocked and said “Do you have your camera handy?”
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 12:58 am
I thought it was a fishing fly when I saw it. Bet it came indoors on a piece of wood. Great job with the photography, and quick identification.
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Comment by sandy — February 13, 2012 @ 10:20 am
That about the way most of my flies look after a few trout have chewed on them. I have found other insects coming in with the firewood, and it could be where i came from.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:00 am
He is gorgeous!! Of course it would be the last photo — ain’t that the way it goes? hahaha!!
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Comment by Barbara — February 13, 2012 @ 11:47 am
Yes, the very last one! A rough estimate is 7000 to 10000 photos!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:02 am
Very cool! Never seen anything like it!
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Comment by TheDailyClick — February 13, 2012 @ 6:45 pm
It was new to me too! Because I’m outdoors so much I thought I had seen them all, too.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:03 am
I would have assumed he was very tattered if you hadn’t actually found a picture of one like him!
Good capture. (I second the opinion that it came in with a piece of wood.)
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Comment by Kim — February 13, 2012 @ 7:21 pm
I thought that for just an instant when I saw the photo too, but then the strands looked very much like the little fibers on a feather.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:04 am
glad you did not give up until you reached success! congrats on IDing the moth, and sharing it with us. interesting!
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Comment by silken — February 13, 2012 @ 7:41 pm
I’m sure there are lots of folks who know how to quickly identify insects, but I have never learned how to do it.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:06 am
And he has montana in his name. Are they only in that area? He is a handsome and unusual moth.
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Comment by Candace — February 13, 2012 @ 10:01 pm
I saw on a web site that their range is “southwestern Quebec and Vermont, west to British Columbia, south to Arizona, California, and Texas”. They are probably very common, but usually un-noticed because of their small size.
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 1:10 am
Whoa, what a fascinating moth! I’ll have to start paying attention to them more!
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Comment by Watching Seasons — February 14, 2012 @ 3:08 pm
Whoa, I’m going to have to start paying attention to the little things around me! Fascinating moth!
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Comment by Watching Seasons — February 14, 2012 @ 3:10 pm
Exactly! This little guy did everything he could to get my attention!
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Comment by montucky — February 14, 2012 @ 8:12 pm
Wow! That is about the coolest moth I’ve ever seen… and I haven’t seen this type before. Looks like feathers. Neat that you noticed and captured a great shot!
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Comment by Anna — February 16, 2012 @ 7:52 am
It was new to me too, and it’s definitely a cool little creature.
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Comment by montucky — February 16, 2012 @ 9:54 pm
so amazing to see it’s wings like this, a new and wonderful thing for me.
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Comment by Tammie — February 17, 2012 @ 11:21 pm
It is new to me too. I love the little “feathers”.
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Comment by montucky — February 17, 2012 @ 11:36 pm
Amazing. You are doing a very thorough job, when finding out what it was!!! My hat off. I am very glad that You presented it to us.
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Comment by Sartenada — February 18, 2012 @ 2:41 am
I just had to find out more about that little creature. I was amazed by it!
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Comment by montucky — February 18, 2012 @ 8:53 pm
Amazing what you can see if you look closely…the feathery wings are so pretty close up!
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Comment by kateri — February 19, 2012 @ 8:18 am
Yes, amazing. Shoot first, see what you captured later!
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Comment by montucky — February 19, 2012 @ 10:43 pm
Very cool!
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Comment by Cedar — February 24, 2012 @ 9:01 pm
That’s what I thought too, Cedar!
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Comment by montucky — February 25, 2012 @ 8:47 pm
Gorgeous. It almost looks like a piece of jewelry, and yet, an intricate moth. How lovely.
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Comment by Bo Mackison — March 2, 2012 @ 9:50 pm
I liked discovering it, but after I found that it was a very common moth I felt a little sad and ashamed that I had never looked closely at one before.
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Comment by montucky — March 2, 2012 @ 10:50 pm