About Cilix glaucata (Scopoli, 1763)
Cilix glaucata (Scopoli, 1763) has a wingspan of 18 to 22 millimeters. This moth flies from April to August, with flight timing varying by location. It inhabits sunny, warm forest edges, slopes, hedges, bushy dry grasslands, heaths, and also parks. Its wings are porcelain-white, with a row of small grey spots along the outer edge of the forewing. The inner edge of the forewing has a large dark brown stain that fades to yellow and grey toward the middle of the wing. Occasional individuals have silvery scales, and the wingtips are rounded rather than curved. When resting, the moth resembles bird droppings. Its antennae are only slightly combed. The silvery scales on the middle of the wings are often noted to look like a small character; some variations resemble Chinese characters, which is the origin of its common name. Fully grown caterpillars reach around 12 millimeters in length and are dark brown. The thorax is distinctly thickened, and the tip of the abdomen tapers to a narrow point. Larvae feed on brambles (Rubus species), hawthorns (Crataegus species), and cherries (Prunus species).
