Feathered Diamond-back Incurvaria masculella
The striking Feathered Diamond-back belongs to a family called Incurvariidae. Together with some other families often referred to in common English as Longhornmoths. This family is best known by one of its members: the Currant Moth. It can be extremely harmful in various berries. The Feathered Diamond-back is not harmful at all, for it usually feeds on wild plants only. The wingspan of this species is about the same of its relatives: some 15 mm. After hatching, the larvae feed on leaves internally. When a little bigger, they cut out two small pieces of the leaf, and attach one piece to their back and one piece below them. Then they fall to the ground. Here they feed on dead leaves, expanding their little house while growing. The animal in the picture is a female Feathered Diamond-back. The males have big combed antennae, a feature rarely ever found in microes. Females have long, thin, threadlike antennae. This species can be found all over Europe, but it often is a very local species. When present though, often found in great numbers. Lives almost exclusively on Hawthorn in Britain. On the European continent though Hawthorn is rarely used. Here the animal uses a great variety of plants and shrubs, including birch, oak and roses.
