Airplane Moffs...

This is what my son James calls these things. They are in fact Plume Moths in the family Pterophoridae. They are odd-looking creatures since they hold their narrow, and often notched, wings at 90 degrees to the abdomen, hence the "airplane" shape. They also have remarkably long legs. There are many species in Ontario the the two below are amongst the more common. Many are notoriously difficult to identify, but it's fun (and frustrating) to try!


This is Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla. I catch this one a lot in my back yard in Toronto. It is quite large and easy to identify. However, I cannot tell you anything about it's life history at the moment.


This one is Emmelina monodactlya. This is probably the most common plume moth in Ontario and can be seen as late as mid November in mild weather. The larvae feed on a variety of plants including common morning glory.