Species Details

ABH: 63.048

BF: 1408

Family: Crambidae

Subfamily: Spilomelinae

Taxon: Palpita vitrealis

=Palpita unionalis

Authority: (Rossi, 1794)

Vernacular: Olive-tree Pearl

Account: Immigrant to south-western England from southern Europe Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Summer Jasmine, Olive, Wild Privet and similar, no evidence of breeding in the UK.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 27 — 31 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 17 Jun (2025) — 22 Nov (2014)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant:

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Migrant

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/palpita-vitrealis/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 47

Individuals: 28

Earliest Year: 1951

Latest Year: 2025

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