 All Regulus species are almost exclusively insectivorous , preying on small arthropods with soft cuticles , such as springtails , aphids and spiders . They also feed on the cocoons and eggs of spiders and insects , and occasionally take pollen . The Madeira firecrest feeds in trees , exploiting mainly the upper surface of branches in coniferous habitat and of leaves in deciduous trees . This is in contrast to the goldcrest , which frequently feeds on the undersides of branches and leaves . The Madeira firecrest also forages in the moss and lichen which often covers the branches and trunks of laurel and oak trees . 
