Paysandisia archon
Palm Moth

Wingspan c.90-110mm.

This large and attractive day-flying moth is an adventitious species, accidentally introduced from its native haunt of South America with imported Palm Trees. The first British example was found at Bosham, West Sussex, in August 2002, and there have been several records since, all connected with the palm trade: adults emerged inside a Kent office building and larvae were found at a London nursery in 2007, both from recently imported palms, and single adults appeared on the Isle of Wight in 2021 and 2022.

The species was similarly introduced into southern Europe, first appearing in the South of France and in Spain in 2001, and is now firmly established around the northern Mediterranean, from Spain through France and Italy eastwards to Greece and the Black Sea coast. The larva bores into the trunks of various Palm trees and is proving a serious pest of ornamental palms in these areas.

DEFRA considers it to be a potential pest species that could be a threat to ornamental palms. It advises caution from garden centres, nurseries and importers when purchasing palm trees.