Biots are the tough, interlocking barbs on the leading edge of a bird's first flight feather. Many tiers are familiar with using biots as split tails (many stonefly nymph imitations) or as downwings (Prince Nymph), but fewer people take advantage of the wonderful properties of biots for body material. Biot bodies are tough, slender,and have a wonderful, natural-looking segmentation. Because biots change in width and thickness from tip to butt, biot bodies tend to be naturally tapered. They have many decorative uses especially in millinery and craft applications.These feathers are long and stiff. You can curly them like how you would curl a ribbon to create the spiky look in the picture.