Chinese Character
Cilix glaucata
This record describes Cilix glaucata (species). Recorded family: Drepanidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18-22 mm. This unusual-looking moth combines its wing-pattern and resting posture to give the appearance of a bird-dropping, thus avoiding the attention of hungry birds. Found in hedgerows, gardens and woodland. It has two generations in the year, May and June, then again in August, when the adults can be attracted by light. Larva feeds on Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Crab Apple, overwintering as a pupa. Fairly common and widespread in England and Wales, becoming more scarce in the far north of Britain.
Wikipedia reference for Cilix glaucata: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilix glaucata.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Drepanoidea
- Family
- Drepanidae (Hooktip and False Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Drepaninae
- Tribe
- Drepanini
- Genus
- Cilix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Found in hedgerows, gardens and woodland.
Seasonal Activity
It has two generations in the year, May and June, then again in August, when the adults can be attracted by light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva feeds on Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Crab Apple, overwintering as a pupa.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Fairly common and widespread in England and Wales, becoming more scarce in the far north of Britain.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cilix glaucata. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Chinese Character (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Character
What is Chinese Character?
Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata) is a species in the family Drepanidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Chinese Character found?
Habitat: Found in hedgerows, gardens and woodland.
When is Chinese Character active?
Chinese Character: seasonal activity - It has two generations in the year, May and June, then again in August, when the adults can be attracted by light..
What is the life cycle of a Chinese Character?
Larva feeds on Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Crab Apple, overwintering as a pupa.