Brown Plume
Stenoptilia pterodactyla
This record describes Stenoptilia pterodactyla (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 20 to 26 mm. Fresh specimens can be distinguished by their white costal cilia and ochreous, almost rust wing colour from the similar Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla, which has dark costal cilia and grey-brown wings. These differences may be less clear in worn specimens. Meadows and well vegetated areas, especially where Germander Speedwell is present. Adults fly in one generation between late June and early August. They are attracted to light, and easily kicked up from vegetation in the daytime. The larvae mine the shoots and stems of Germander Speedwell from August to March. In April and May they feed on the flowers and are very well camouflaged against the plants' stems, dropping to the ground when disturbed. Distributed throughout the British Isles, often commonly in the south, but less frequent in northern England and Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Pterophoridae
- Genus
- Stenoptilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Meadows and well vegetated areas, especially where Germander Speedwell is present.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly in one generation between late June and early August. They are attracted to light, and easily kicked up from vegetation in the daytime.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the shoots and stems of Germander Speedwell from August to March. In April and May they feed on the flowers and are very well camouflaged against the plants' stems, dropping to the ground when disturbed.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout the British Isles, often commonly in the south, but less frequent in northern England and Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Stenoptilia pterodactyla. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Brown Plume (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown Plume
What is Brown Plume?
Brown Plume (Stenoptilia pterodactyla) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Brown Plume found?
Habitat: Meadows and well vegetated areas, especially where Germander Speedwell is present.
When is Brown Plume active?
Brown Plume: seasonal activity - Adults fly in one generation between late June and early August. They are attracted to light, and easily kicked up from vegetation in the daytime..
What is the life cycle of a Brown Plume?
The larvae mine the shoots and stems of Germander Speedwell from August to March. In April and May they feed on the flowers and are very well camouflaged against the plants' stems, dropping to the ground when disturbed.