Davey, P., 2009: A rare immigrant species seen on twenty occasions in Britain, the first in Kent in 1870 and then not again until 1955. The moth is resident in the tropics and the sub-tropics, the larva feeding on various wild and cultivated herbaceous plants and vegetables, including tomato and soybean. In Dorset, six moths have been seen, all at light traps: Sherborne, on 25 September 1967 (C Gibson), West Bexington, on 26 October 1995, 13 October 2005 (R Eden), Durlston, two on 26 October 1995 (P Davey). In each case, the source of origin is likely to have been the west coast of Africa south of 30°N; at 4000 plus kilometres, this surely constitutes one of the furthest journeys undertaken by any moth species seen in the county. |