Paysandisia archon
Encyclopedia
Paysandisia archon is a moth
of the family Castniidae
. It is native to Uruguay
and central Argentina
and has been accidentally introduced to Europe
, where it is spreading rapidly. It is considered the only member of the genus Paysandisia.
This is a very large, impressive moth with a wingspan of 90–110 mm. The forewings are dark green with brown streaking, the hindwings are bright red with bold black and white markings. The females, generally larger than the males, are easily recognized by the prominent ovipositor
. Like other castniids, this species flies by day and has clubbed antennae
and is easily mistaken for a butterfly
. The adults fly from June to September.
The larva
is whitish and maggot
-like and feeds in the stems and trunks of palms
(see list below for recorded food plants). In its natural range, the damage done by the larvae is unobtrusive and the species is not considered a pest
but the species is causing increasing concern in Europe because of the sometimes fatal damage being caused to native and exotic palms. Since arriving in the south of France
in the mid-1990s (probably in mature specimens of Trithrinax
from Argentina), it has spread along the Mediterranean coast to parts of Spain
and Italy
and it is feared that without effective control, it could spread to areas where palms grow throughout the region. One has also been reported from England
, in West Sussex
in 2002 and one record in 2006 from The Netherlands, in Zoetermeer Province Zuid-Holland. The species pupa
tes in a cocoon incorporating palm fibres within the larval gallery.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the family Castniidae
Castniidae
Castniidae, or castniid moths, is a small family of moths with less than 200 species: The majority are Neotropical with some in Australia and a few in south-east Asia. These are medium-sized to very large moths, usually with drab, cryptically-marked forewings and brightly coloured hindwings. They...
. It is native to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and central Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and has been accidentally introduced to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where it is spreading rapidly. It is considered the only member of the genus Paysandisia.
This is a very large, impressive moth with a wingspan of 90–110 mm. The forewings are dark green with brown streaking, the hindwings are bright red with bold black and white markings. The females, generally larger than the males, are easily recognized by the prominent ovipositor
Ovipositor
The ovipositor is an organ used by some animals for oviposition, i.e., the laying of eggs. It consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages formed to transmit the egg, to prepare a place for it, and to place it properly...
. Like other castniids, this species flies by day and has clubbed antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
and is easily mistaken for a butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
. The adults fly from June to September.
The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
is whitish and maggot
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
-like and feeds in the stems and trunks of palms
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
(see list below for recorded food plants). In its natural range, the damage done by the larvae is unobtrusive and the species is not considered a pest
Pest (animal)
A pest is an animal which is detrimental to humans or human concerns. It is a loosely defined term, often overlapping with the related terms vermin, weeds, parasites and pathogens...
but the species is causing increasing concern in Europe because of the sometimes fatal damage being caused to native and exotic palms. Since arriving in the south of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the mid-1990s (probably in mature specimens of Trithrinax
Trithrinax
Trithrinax is a genus of few flowering plants in the Arecaceae family, that belong to the Coryphoideae subfamily, a not very evolved lineage. The name is derived of ancient greek, where tri means three, and thrinax trident...
from Argentina), it has spread along the Mediterranean coast to parts of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and it is feared that without effective control, it could spread to areas where palms grow throughout the region. One has also been reported from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
in 2002 and one record in 2006 from The Netherlands, in Zoetermeer Province Zuid-Holland. The species pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
tes in a cocoon incorporating palm fibres within the larval gallery.
Natural range
- Syagrus yataySyagrusSyagrus is a genus of 30 to 42 species of Arecaceae , native to South America, with one species endemic to the Lesser Antilles. The genus is closely related to the Cocos, or coconut genus, and many Syagrus species produce edible seeds similar to the coconut.-Description:Palms in this group have...
- ChamaeropsChamaeropsChamaerops is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae , comprising a single species Chamaerops humilis , representative of the Pre-Pliocene paleo-tropical ancestral lineages in the area.-Distribution:It is the only palm species native to continental Europe...
- LataniaLataniaLatania commonly known as Latan palm is a genus of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It contains the following species:* Latania loddigesii * Latania lontaroides...
- Livistona chinensisLivistonaLivistona is a genus of 36 species of palms , native to southern and southeastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa...
- Phoenix canariensisCanary Island Date PalmPhoenix canariensis is a species in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the Canary Islands. It is a relative of Phoenix dactylifera, the true date palm....
- Syagrus romanzoffianaSyagrusSyagrus is a genus of 30 to 42 species of Arecaceae , native to South America, with one species endemic to the Lesser Antilles. The genus is closely related to the Cocos, or coconut genus, and many Syagrus species produce edible seeds similar to the coconut.-Description:Palms in this group have...
- Trithrinax campestrisTrithrinaxTrithrinax is a genus of few flowering plants in the Arecaceae family, that belong to the Coryphoideae subfamily, a not very evolved lineage. The name is derived of ancient greek, where tri means three, and thrinax trident...
Introduced range
- ChamaeropsChamaeropsChamaerops is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae , comprising a single species Chamaerops humilis , representative of the Pre-Pliocene paleo-tropical ancestral lineages in the area.-Distribution:It is the only palm species native to continental Europe...
- LivistonaLivistonaLivistona is a genus of 36 species of palms , native to southern and southeastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa...
spp., including: - L. chinensis
- L. decipiens
- L. saribus
- PhoenixPhoenix (plant)Phoenix is a genus of 14 species of palms, native from the Canary Islands east across northern and central Africa, the extreme southeast of Europe , and southern Asia from Turkey east to southern China and Malaysia. The diverse habitats they occupy include swamps, deserts, and mangrove sea coasts...
spp., including: - P. canariensis
- P. dactylifera
- P. reclinata
- SabalSabalSabal is a genus of New World palms, many of the species being known as palmetto. They are fan palms , with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets; in some of the species, the leaflets are joined for up to half of their length...
- Trachycarpus fortunei
- Trithrinax campestrisTrithrinaxTrithrinax is a genus of few flowering plants in the Arecaceae family, that belong to the Coryphoideae subfamily, a not very evolved lineage. The name is derived of ancient greek, where tri means three, and thrinax trident...
- WashingtoniaWashingtoniaWashingtonia is a genus of palms, native to the southwestern United States and northwest Mexico...
spp., including: - W. filifera