65.007 : 1651 : 7512
Drepanidae : Drepaninae

Chinese Character

CILIX glaucata (Scopoli, 1763)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 22-27mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe -from Great Britain,southern Scandinavia & Finland to Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans : N Africa
UK Distribution: England,Wales & Isle of Man - Widespread and generally distributed : Scotland - Local,mainly in south : Ireland - widespread : Channel Isles - widespread and frequent
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = > 300 10Km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena glaucata (Scopoli, 1763)
Type Species - Cilix
  • Bombyx compressa (Fabricius, 1777)
Type Locality -
  • Germany - location unknown
Flight Period: April to June & July to September - two generations
Habitat: Open Woodland : Scrub : Hedgerows : Gardens
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 16mm final instar larva is as different in shape as the final moth. Viewed from the side it arches upwards from the head in an inverted "U" to its highest point before dropping and then rising upwards again towards the rear.The larva is orange and thickset nearest the head before reducing in width for the rest of the larva when viewed from the top.There are two lateral lines in a darker background colour both at the line of spiracles and another central line viewed from the top.The larva has a tail at the rear.
Pupa: The pupa overwinters in a cocoon attached to leaves,or fixed to tree bark
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This unusual looking moth in its resting position gives the appearance of a bird dropping which deters any attention from hungry birds.
The partial median line stops at about midway across the wing and connects to silvery veins marking which give the appearance of a letter of the Chinese alphabet giving the moth its common name.
Adjacent to the median line at the dorsum is a black patch which finishes at the tornus.The median area is marked by grey brick like markings which are stacked one on another,finishing before the costa.
The terminal line is a series of grey large dots which again finish before the costa.

The moth can be found at rest during the day and at night is attracted to light,appearing at the moth trap in small numbers.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species CILIX:

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Forms:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Drepanoidea
Drepanidae
Drepaninae
CILIX Leach,[1815]
Cilix glaucata (Scopoli, 1763)
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Bombyx compressa (Fabricius, 1777)
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PHALAENA glaucata (Scopoli,1763)
= ruffa (Linnaeus, 1767)
= spinula (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
= Bombyx compressa Fabricius, [1777]
= modesta (Walch, 1779)
= aeruginata Turati, 1907
= angelina Dannehl, 1925
= Cilix glaucata glaucata
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Entomologia Carniolica exhibens insecta Carnioliæ indigena et distributa in ordines, genera, species, varietates. Methodo Linnæana. - pp. [1-35], 1-420, [1]. Vindobonae. (Trattner) : Title page : p.221 - n.549
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Germany - Location uknown
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C.g.f.aeuginata Turati, 1907 - forewing brown spot smaller
C.g.f.albescens Lempke, 1960 - whitest specimens
C.g.f.obscurata Lempke, 1938 - darkest specimens