About Epichnopterix plumella (Denis & Schiffermüller), 1775
Epichnopterix plumella is a moth species in the Psychidae family, found across Europe. Females of this species have reduced, stubby wings, and never leave the caterpillar bag they develop in. Adult males have a wingspan of approximately 12 millimetres, with a black, shaggy-woolly body. Both their forewings and hindwings have rounded tips, and their antennae are bipectinate, or combed on both sides. Adult females are red-yellow, with a distinct yellow spot on their abdomen. The caterpillar of Epichnopterix plumella has a red basic body colour, a black head, and segmented black dorsal shields separated by yellow stripes across its body. Like most species in the Psychidae family, this caterpillar weaves a protective silk sack and attaches fragments of foreign material to the outside of the structure. The sack has a round to oval cross-section. The attached foreign material consists of long, flat grass blades from various grass species; these blades extend past the edge of the silk sack and are arranged parallel to the sack’s longitudinal axis. The entire sack structure is less than 20 millimetres long, and is firmly spun to the caterpillar’s food plants. The upward-facing front end of the sack is open, so the caterpillar can extend its front body segments and front legs to feed. The larvae feed on a range of different grass species. Adults of this moth produce one generation per year, flying from mid-April to mid-June.
