Leaf-mine: An initially linear mine, which at second instar develops into a large whitish blotch with conspicuous black frass. The early linear mine is frequently entirely enveloped by the blotch but is detectable by the alternate irregular strips of frass. Pupation external (Spencer, 1976: 158).

The first part of the mine consists of a long, slender upper-surface corridor. After the first moult this changes into a large primary blotch without feeding lines. Frass in the corridor in short, somewhat angular thread fragments, towards the end even in grains. Frass arranged less closely along the sides than in A. lamii. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The frass is conspicuous in the mine and the mine is initially linear, then develops into a white blotch, often enveloping this early mine (British leafminers).

Larva: The larva is described by de Meijere (1934) and illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Puparium: Reddish-brown, deeply segmented; posterior spiracles on short conical projections, each with 3 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 158).

Comments: Stachys officinalis is treated as Betonica officinalis (Betony) by Stace (2010).

Hosts in Britain:

Hosts elsewhere:

Time of year - mines: August.

Time of year - adults: May-August.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Recorded in Kent (Dartford), Surrey (Kew), Isle Of Wight (Spencer, 1972: 45) and Warwickshire (Coombe and Kingsbury Wood) (Robbins, 1991: 101, as lamii); South Lancaster (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, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Mediterranean area (Spencer, 1976: 158), The Netherlands (Bladmineerders van Europa), Corsica, Estonia, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Poland, Romania, Sardinia, Sicily, Spanish mainland and Yugoslavia (Martinez in Fauna Europaea).

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

Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea [128629]
NBN Gateway