Cryphia maderensis (Bethune-Baker, 1891)

Host plants:
The larvae feed on algae and lichens on stones and rocks.

Habitat:
Cryphia maderensis inhabits rocks and walls made out of natural stones more in the shadow. It is not known if lichens on bark are also used.

Life cycle:
I found the mature larvae feeding under humid weather conditions on algae on a wall during daytime in March 2013. They seem to develop during winter and spring. As it is the case with some other related species they undergo a different long dormancy in the prepupal stage within the future cocoon. Thus flight time is somewhat delayed (summer to early autumn).

Remarks:
Cryphia maderensis is endemic to Madeira. The taxon is closely related to Cryphia simonyi from the Canaries.