Part of mine of Agromyza lathyri on Pisum sativum Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Leaf-mine: An initially lower-surface linear leaf-mine, which later develops into large whitish blotch and appears pale and mottled from above, due to the variable depth of larval feeding. Less frequently feeding in upper surface or stem (Spencer, 1972: 37, fig. 112); Spencer, 1976: 118).

The mine starts as a superficial lower-surface corridor. After its first moult the larva starts making a blotch, often close to the base of the leaflet. The blotch in principle is lower-surface, but may be interparenchymatous for some part. Moreover, in places the larva feeds from the palissade parenchyma. Seen from above the leaf appears mottled. The overall result is that the mine, despite its considerable size, is hard to find. The easiest way is to hold the leaves against the light: the large larvae than are conspicuous. Frass in coarse grains, both in the corridor and in the blotch; in the corridor they are widely spaced. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Larva: The larva is described by Darvas, Skuhravá and Andersen (2000), de Meijere (1926) and in Bladmineerders van Europa).

Puparium: Reddish (Bladmineerders van Europa); posterior spiracles each with up to 40 bulbs on a black conical projection (Spencer, 1976: 118, fig. 196).

Hosts in Britain:

Hosts elsewhere:

Time of year - mines: June-August.

Time of year - adults: Unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Kent (New Cross), Surrey (Kew) (Spencer, 1972: 41), Warwickshire (Coventry) (Robbins, 1991: 46) and Cambridgeshire (NBN Gateway - N.B. includes Watsonian Vice Counties having publicly available records that fall within or overlap the vice county border at 10km resolution or better i.e. a record for a vice county may relate to an adjacent vice county - for included datasets see NBN Grid map below).

NBN Grid map: Note that not all datasets on the NBN Gateway may be available on the map below. If you are an NBN Gateway registered user you can request access for missing datasets via the link 'Open interactive map in new window' below.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Denmark, Germany, Holland, Italy (Spencer, 1976: 118), Corsica, Czech Republic, French mainland, Lithuana, Poland, Romania, Spanish mainland, Sweden and The Netherlands (Martinez in Fauna Europaea).

NBN interactive distribution map(s) of known host species in Great Britain and Ireland and elsewhere:

BSBI distribution maps of known host species in Britain and elsewhere:

Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea [128882]
NBN Gateway