Fairy Dancers

In a shaft of light that shone down through the thick chestnut canopy, fairies danced. Nemophora degeerella, is commonly known as Yellow-barred Longhorn Moth, but those of a romantic bent call them Fairy Moths.

Female

The males dance in an enchanting vertical flight, rising and falling in the sunlight, their extremely long antennae flex during the upward steps and trail as they fall, wings ablur throughout the performance.

Only when they come to rest can you see details on the wings and appreciate how long the antennae are.