| Palpita vitrealis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Moth of Palpita vitrealis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Palpita |
| Species: | P. vitrealis |
| Binomial name | |
| Palpita vitrealis (Rossi, 1794) | |
| Synonyms [1] [2] [3] | |
List
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Palpita vitrealis, common name jasmine moth or white pearl, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae.
This species occurs worldwide, including Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa), [2] Asia, Australia and Europe. [4] In Europe, it is mainly found in southern Europe, but may be found further north. [3] [5]
The wingspan of Palpita vitrealis can reach 27–31 mm. The body and the wings are translucent with a slight sheen. Eyes are large and reddish-brown. On the upper edge of the forewings is present a rather broad orange or brown border. The forewings also show two black spots in the middle. Legs are white and brown ringed. [6]
These moths mainly fly from August till late October, depending on the location. They feed on nectar of various flowers, including ivy and buddleia. [6] [7] This species shows a migratory nature. The larvae are initially yellow, later becoming green. They can grow to a length of about 2 cms. They feed on the leaves of the host plants, mainly jasmine ( Jasminum officinale ), privet ( Ligustrum species), Forsythia , Arbutus unedo and european olive ( Olea europaea ). [7] In Africa the preferred host plants are Sida rhombifolia , Grewia , Helicteres isora , Schima noronhae and Randia scortechinii . [2] The larvae are considered a pest of olive fields, as they attack the leaves and fruits. The final instar of the larvae spins some leaves together and form a silky cocoon to pupate. [5]
Data related to Palpita vitrealis at Wikispecies
Media related to Palpita vitrealis at Wikimedia Commons