Grey Square
Pardasena virgulana
Checklist Number74.0123 [B&F: 2424a]
Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure
Classification
| Family: | Nolidae |
| Subfamily: | Chloephorinae |
| Genus: | Pardasena |
| Species: | virgulana |
| Authority: | (Mabille, 1880) |
Recorded infrequently through accidental importation in okra from Africa, recorded for the first time in Britain at Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex in September 1992, with no further records to date. Not recorded in Hampshire or on the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 23-29 mm. Main confusion species is Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana, but forewing broader and leading edge curved, not concave. Larva feeds on Okra and Leguminosae, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas; no evidence of breeding in the UK.
