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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pterophoridae 63a0003 – 6106   Platyptilia tesseradactyla (Linnaeus, 1761)              Pussytoes Plume Moth

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Synonymy: tesseradactyla (Linnaeus, 1761) (Phalaena) - MONA 1983: 6106 fischeri (Zeller, 1841) (Pterophorus) hibernica Tutt, 1906 (Platyptilia) Host Plants: Host familiy: Asteraceae.  Host genera: Antennaria Gnaphalium[unresolved].  Notes: larva burrows into flowers (Eiseman 2018); bores into stems & flowers (Forbes 1923).  (Shropshire & Tallamy 2025 [accessed 6xii2025]) Similar  : Species Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Gielis, C., 2006. Review of the Neotropical species of the family Pterophoridae, part I: Ochyroticinae, Deuterocopinae, Pterophorinae (Platyptiliini, Exelastini, Oxyptilini) (Lepidoptera). Zoologische Mededelingen, 80-2 (1): 1-290. Matthews, D.L. & C.V. Covell, 2021. Common Names Of North American Plume Moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). Southern Lepidopterists' News, 43(2): 123-148. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at iNaturalist

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