Eastern Bollworm
Earias vittella
Checklist Number74.0122 [B&F: 2420a]
Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure
Classification
| Family: | Nolidae |
| Subfamily: | Chloephorinae |
| Genus: | Earias |
| Species: | vittella |
| Authority: | (Fabricius, 1794) |
Recorded infrequently through accidental importation in okra from Africa and Asia. Larvae and pupae were found in boxes of okra pods from India at Heathrow Airport between February and May 1976. Recorded as a wild-caught moth only once in Britain: at Durlston Country Park, Swanage, Dorset on 16 June 2003. Not recorded in Hampshire or on the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 17-23 mm. Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Cotton and Leguminosae, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas, no evidence of breeding in the UK.
