Hantsmoths

Rare immigrant to southern England from southern Europe. Formerly an accidental import in vegetables from tropical Africa, increasingly seen as an immigrant from mainland Europe. First recorded in Britain in Surrey and Dorset in September 1951, with 19 up to the end of 2005 but 2006, an exceptional year for migrants, saw 18 alone. In Hampshire recorded for the first time in October 2011, when individuals turned up on Hayling Island and in Southampton, and the third record for our area was in Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, in 2013. North Hampshire's first record was in Leckford on 31 Oct 2014, and a further Isle of Wight individual was recorded in Totland on 18 Dec 2015, part of that year's extraordinary late December migrant influx. Wingspan 22-24 mm. Similar to Diasemia reticularis and Diasemiopsis ramburialis, which both have chequered fringes. Larva feeds on fruits and vegetables, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest on spinach, beet, cotton, maize and soya in some areas; no evidence of breeding in the UK.

VC10 Isle of Wight

VC11 South Hampshire

VC12 North Hampshire