Status Adventive. (Migrant?)
Mediterranean species, locally distributed in southern Europe, including the south of France, Italy, Spain and the Balkans. Also noted outside Europe from Turkey, central Asia, Russia and Pakistan amongst other countries.
Recorded at Costessey in July 2016. Originally thought to be a migrant, however this species has no known history of migration. It is now thought to have originated from a nearby garden centre in a shipment of plants from Italy that same weekend. (M. Casey, 23/07/16) New to the UK.
Dr Axel Hausmann (pers. comm. via Martin Honey) commented that "the strongly developed fasciae [cross-lines] are characteristic for the populations from Italy to eastern Europe. On Corsica, Balearics and Iberian peninsula these fasciae are usually very weak or even absent".
The larvae feed on variety of herbs and shrubs including Thymus Capitatus - Thyme, Mentha suaveolens - Apple Mint, Helichrysum stoechas - Curry Plant group, Teucrium polium - Germanders. plus others. | Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required. | |
Recorded in 1 (1%) of 74 10k Squares. First Recorded in 2016. Last Recorded in 2016. |