Photo © Andy Mitchell
Cryphia algae, the tree-lichen beauty, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The genus was erected by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in Mediterranean parts of Europe and the Near East.
M. algae F. (= spoliatricula Hbn) (4e). Forewing with basal area wholly, and marginal partly, pale green, marked with black; lines black, placed as in ravula; the median space brownish; some dark marks along the course of submarginal line; hindwing dull grey — ab. degener Esp. (4e) is more unicolorous, the pale green clouded with grey; a dark band beyond inner line. — In ab. mendacula Hbn. (4e) the whole forewing is varied with pale and dark scales intermixed. — ab. calligrapha Bkh. (4e) is a remarkably pretty aberration, in which the basal and marginal areas are more or less filled with lichen-yellow. Larva grey, bluish at the sides, with a dark grey dorsal line. The wingspan is 24-30 mm. The length of the forewings is 10-13 mm.
The moth flies from July to September depending on the location.
The larvae feed on various tree lichen species.
Source: Wikipedia
The primary larval foodplant is lichens.