Garella

Walker, 1863

Asian walnut moth (for G. musculana)

Species Guides

1

Garella is a of in the Nolidae, established by Walker in 1863. The genus includes at least one significant agricultural pest, Garella musculana (Asian walnut moth), which has expanded from its native Central Asian range into Europe. in this genus are associated with walnut (Juglans) as larval . The genus has become taxonomically contentious, with molecular and morphological evidence suggesting that G. musculana and G. ruficirra may represent a single geographically variable species rather than distinct .

Garella nilotica by (c) Luiz Puodzius, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Luiz Puodzius. Used under a CC-BY license.Garella by (c) dhfischer, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by dhfischer. Used under a CC-BY license.DSC 0476 Garella nilotica (29457321757) by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Garella: /gəˈrɛlə/

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Images

Distribution

Native to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, India, Jammu and Kashmir). Established in Europe: Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Southern Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and more recently Italy (first recorded 2021 in Veneto region). Distribution records also include Vermont, USA, though establishment status there is unclear.

Human Relevance

Garella musculana is a major pest of walnut . Larvae damage young shoots of Juglans regia (common walnut) and J. nigra (black walnut), causing shoot dieback and fruit drop. In Bartın, Turkey, orchard-level damage rates reached 42% with 15% of shoots infested. The ' recent spread into Europe (first Italy 2021, earlier Crimea 2008) represents an emerging phytosanitary concern for walnut-producing regions.

Similar Taxa

  • Garella ruficirra (Hampson, 1905)Strong morphological and molecular similarity; COI barcoding shows near-identical sequences. Male terminalia show subtle differences. Geographic distributions are largely parapatric. Current evidence insufficient to confirm specific distinction; may represent single geographically variable .

Sources and further reading