Bryophilinae
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Bryophilinae is a subfamily of moths in the Noctuidae family. The species in this subfamily are often called “green moss moths” or “green arches” because of their distinctive coloration and patterns. They are medium-sized moths and mny species have forewings shaded in green, sometimes with white or dark mottling, giving them a mossy or lichen-like appearance. This provides excellent camouflage against tree trunks and rocks covered with moss. The hindwings are usually gray or brownish, less brightly marked. The larvae are usually green or brown, sometimes with faint striping. However, unlike many noctuids that feed on leaves, Bryophilinae caterpillars often feed on lichens, mosses, and algae growing on bark, stones, or wood. This makes them relatively unusual as unlike many noctuids that focus on flowering plants, they play an ecological role as consumers of non-vascular plants (lichens and mosses).
