Day 187: They're not uncommon, but they certainly are unusual. I call them "airplane bugs," and some people refer to them as "T-moths," a reference to their characteristic posture. In fact, this critter is a Morning-Glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla), one of nearly 170 species of plume moth in North America. In this photo, the second pair of legs is concealed by the wings which are held at a 90-degree angle to the body. Open, these wings are divided into four or five narrow, feathery sections. The official common name reflects the host plant preferred by this moth; plumes have been used as biological controls for certain invasive weeds, although this one is native to the state.
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