# Silver Cloud (*Egira conspicillaris*) The Silver Cloud is a beautiful moth with silver-gray wings that look like soft clouds. It flutters around at night, bringing a little magic to the dark. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Silver Cloud](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Egira_conspicillaris.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dumi, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egira_conspicillaris.jpg) ## Appearance The Silver Cloud is a medium-sized moth with greyish-brown forewings, often featuring a distinctive, pale, kidney-shaped mark. This central mark sometimes has a darker outline, giving it a cloudy appearance. Its hindwings are paler, typically a uniform grey. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Noctuidae - **Genus:** Egira ## Interesting facts - It helps wildflowers by carrying pollen from flower to flower. - Its caterpillar can change color to match the plants it's eating! - The Silver Cloud moth uses fuzzy scales to stay warm on cool nights! - This moth has special 'ears' on its chest to hear bat squeaks! ## Special abilities - **Bark Blender:** Silver Cloud can disappear against tree bark because its mottled grey-brown wings mimic natural textures, helping it hide from predators. - **Night Navigator:** Silver Cloud can find its way in the dark because it possesses excellent night vision and senses for locating food and mates after sunset. - **Nectar Sipper:** Silver Cloud has a long, coiled proboscis that helps it sip sweet nectar from deep within flowers, fueling its nightly flights. - **Pheromone Finder:** Silver Cloud can find mates over long distances because females release tiny chemical signals that males detect with their antennae. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-45 mm - **Size:** 12-18 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-21 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Its caterpillars munch on plants, while the adults enjoy sweet flower nectar! - **Age differences:** Yes, caterpillars eat plant leaves, but adults primarily drink nectar. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, tree leaves, shrub leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Greater Mouse-eared Bat (*Myotis myotis*) — Hunts moths, including Silver Clouds, at night. - **Eats:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Forages for moth caterpillars and adults. - **Eats:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Larva feeds on the leaves of this tree. - **Pollinates:** European Honeysuckle (*Lonicera periclymenum*) — Adult moths visit and pollinate its flowers. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Moths are gentle creatures, but it's best to observe them without touching. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Silver Cloud? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Silver Cloud's wingspan? 30-45 mm ### How big is Silver Cloud? 12-18 mm ### How long does Silver Cloud live? 7-21 days ### How fast can Silver Cloud fly? 12 km/h ### What does Silver Cloud eat? Its caterpillars munch on plants, while the adults enjoy sweet flower nectar! ### Where is Silver Cloud usually found? Forests ### How does Silver Cloud hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Silver Cloud: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-cloud)