Asian Cotton Leafworm
Spodoptera litura
Checklist Number73.0892 [B&F: 2386a]
Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure
Recorded infrequently through accidental importation in produce from Asia; usually recorded in the larval form and unlikely to reach Britain as a genuine migrant, first recorded at Manchester in 1978 on aquatic plants from Singapore. Not recorded in Hampshire or on the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 33-37 mm. Larva feeds on Tobacco, Rice and Cotton, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas; no evidence of breeding in the UK.
