However, a few specimens may show a bronze-colored forewing although the twin spots are still present. The soybean looper is most likely to be confused with C. chalcites but the male genitalia are very different. Thus, the stigmatal markings of the soybean looper are quite different from each other whereas in the golden twin spot the markings are more or less equal in size and shape. It will often drop from the leaf and hang on a silken thread when disturbed. Early instar larvae are leaf skeletonizers which means that they eat only a portion of the leaf to form an irregular network of minute clear areas.
Later instars eat the entire leaf, at most leaving the midrib, or other veins.
Many Plusiinae, and probably C. chalcites too, mimic a twig by extending their body at almost a 90 degree angle to the leaf. A few noctuids will drop to the ground and play dead if disturbed. It remains to be seen how our population fits the European descriptions. There is lycaenid butterfly, Cacyreus marshalli, causing serious damage to geraniums in Spain. This is a threat to our geraniums as well so all lycaenids associated with cuttings from Spain should be screened for this species.