Photo © Mike Wall

Old World Webworm

Hellula undalis

Checklist Number
63.061 [B&F: 1360]

Verification
Record will require further evidence, at least a good photograph, unless CMR is aware recorder has confidence in identification

Classification

Family:Crambidae
Subfamily:Glaphyriinae
Genus:Hellula
Species:undalis
Authority:(Fabricius, 1781)

Very rare immigrant (less than 10 previous UK records) from the tropics of the Old World, where widespread. This species is presumed to have arrived on these shores as an immigrant from Africa on the basis of a specimen taken at a light-trap near East Prawle, Devon, on 28 September 1967. A subsequent increase in the frequency of its occurrence hints at an origin closer to home. Up to the end of 2008, there were three records in the region, all in October, including one from well inland in Hampshire and one from the Isle of Wight.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

No Larval records to show.

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Freshwater (SZ38)26/10/1989oneSam Knill-JonesAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Hurn (SZ19)16/10/2001oneMike JeffesAdult
Lymington (SZ39)19/12/2015oneAlec HarmerAdult
Marchwood (SU30)30/09/2023oneChris ThainAdult
Fareham (SU50)01/10/2023oneKeith WheelerAdult
Fareham (SU50)01/10/2023oneKeith WheelerAdult

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Northwood (SU43)12/10/2006oneReg A BellAdult