Richard South

“ The exception is Cilix spinula, a round winged moth, not at all like other members of the family, but its caterpillar is very like others of the group.
The bristle and catch arrangement for locking the wings is present in all the species, but the tongue or proboscis is absent, or practically so. The caterpillars are not furnished with anal claspers, therefore have only fourteen legs, that is, six true legs and eight false legs (pro-legs) . The last ring of the body is more or less tapered, sometimes terminating in a point; the back is roughened with raised spots and warts, or humped. ”

“ When disturbed in the daytime, which may happen where one is beating the bushes, it falls, rather than flies, to the ground. At night it may be netted as it flies along the hedgeside or wood borders in almost every county of England and Wales. ”

“ In a younger stage it is blackish, with white marks on the fourth and seventh rings; later it becomes greenish below, and the markings on the back of rings four, seven, eight, and ten are whitish or creamy. Until nearly full grown it usually lives on the underside of a leaf, the edges of which are turned over and held down by silken threads ”