Need ID help. Southern Alberta, Canada

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Hulio Cranbrook, Canada Aug 24, 2018

Can anyone help me identify this? This was filmed in southern Alberta at around 7500-8000 feet elevation. It looks like some mosquito/moth lovechild. I have never seen one before. Thank you in advance for any help!

https://youtu.be/Y2HCHNUGc2w

Post #10382612
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Aug 24, 2018

It's a plume moth (family Pterophoridae). See http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=6116 for an example.

Post #10382626
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Hulio Cranbrook, Canada Aug 25, 2018

Quote from Flapdoodle :
It's a plume moth (family Pterophoridae). See http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=6116 for an example.


Thank you Flapdoodle! Okay, I've been introduced to the world of plume moths. Not sure how I didn't know of them until now. I am renaming the title of the video as Gillmeria albertae being a possibility - due to the location and also every picture I've brought up of Gillmeria albertae seems to show rounded wings while the other Alberta species seemed to all have pointed wings. This is obviously far from a professional identification on my part. Is it foolish to think that any type of positive (or even speculated) identification can be made from the video?

Post #10382709
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Hulio Cranbrook, Canada Aug 25, 2018

I also read that the time of year and the high elevation sighting were correct for Gillmeria albertae.

Post #10382717
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Aug 25, 2018

"Is it foolish to think that any type of positive (or even speculated) identification can be made from the video?"

As your video is of good quality (and I presume that you can take screen shots from it for closer perusal), you can feel fairly safe in making a presumptive identification. The only way to be absolutely certain would be to have the specimen in hand and run it through a dichotomous key.

Post #10382723
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