Cryphia algae (Fabricius, 1775)


Cryphia algae: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, early June 2012) [M] Cryphia algae: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, early June 2012) [M] Cryphia algae: The cocoon is well camouflaged (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Pupa in the opened cocoon (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Cryphia algae: Larval habitat on the eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany: hedge with lichen-rich branches (Hermaringen, early June 2012) [N] Cryphia algae: Larval habitat on the eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany: hedge with lichen-rich branches (Hermaringen, early June 2012) [N] Cryphia algae: Larval habitat on the eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany: hedge with lichen-rich branches (Hermaringen, early June 2012) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on algae, mosses and lichens on bark.

Habitat:
Cryphia algae is mostly found in forests where the caterpillars live on branches and trunks. But it can be found as well in hedge areas and settlements, where the caterpillars usually develop on lichen-rich branches. Presumably, the caterpillars live also on (shaded) walls and rocks

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters and is mature in May or early June. I found the caterpillar on the eastern Swabian Alb at the northern edge of a lichen-rich hedgerow (blackthorn/rose/maple) on the lichen-rich branches of Rosa canina in early June 2012. The moths fly from late June or early July to August or early September.

Remarks:
Cryphia algae occurs in south and Central Europe (to the north almost to the North and in particular Baltic Seas), and probably Western Asia.



Cryphia maderensis | Cryphia muralis | Cryphia ochsi 
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