Spotted in Britain for the first time, the voracious Asian moth
A voracious Asian moth that devours one of our most popular garden shrubs has been spotted in Britain for the first time.
The Euonymus Leaf Notcher - a distinctive pest whose large furry body has similar markings to a wasp - was spotted by a six-year-old on a windowsill of her Berkshire home.
Natural history experts warn it may herald the start of an invasion.
The pest from Asia: An Euonymus Leaf Notcher spotted in Britain
The half-inch-long leaf notchers eat Euonymus, or spindles - the versatile shrubs found in millions of gardens.
The dead moth was found by six-year-old Katie Dobbins in Upper Bucklebury. Her father Julian posted a photograph of it on a wildlife website run by the Open University with the message:
‘My daughter found this strange moth on our windowsill. Very keen to find out what it is… and why it is so furry.’
Within 24 hours, the insect had been identified by Open University researcher Martin Harvey and confirmed by an expert in Taiwan.
Mr Harvey said: ‘This find may just be a one-off, or it could be a harbinger of establishment in the UK.
The moth is regarded as a pest in America and Asia, but its food plants are restricted to ornamental shrubs.’
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