Starling hackle (or jackdaw or any small dark soft hackle) Black/iridescent starling hackle (1 feather)
How to tie it
Mount the curved hook and tie in the fluorescent orange thread about a third of the way back from the eye. Take a few wraps to secure it and cut the tag.
Wrap the orange thread back to where you want the body to end, down onto the bend, watching the hook point as you go, then bring it forward again in a second layer to build a smooth, fat orange body.
Finish the orange body at the front with a three or four turn whip finish and cut it away. It does not matter if it looks slightly untidy; the next component covers it.
Start black 70 denier tying thread just in front of the body and take it back over the front of the orange to give the herl something to sit against.
Tie in two strands of peacock herl and take two or three wraps only, leaving the thread just forward of the herl. Tie off and trim. Two strands will do three flies.
Tie a starling feather in immediately in front of the herl, using only two or three wraps at first since the stem is delicate. Fold it back on itself and take a few more wraps to really lock the stem in, then snip the tip off.
Grip the feather with spring-loaded hackle pliers and take two turns of hackle. Tie it off with a couple of wraps and trim.
Sweep the barbs back with your fingers as you build a small thread head, or leave them sticking out for a truer spider look; the herl thorax will push them out anyway.