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Leaf-miner: A small somewhat irregular, elongate blotch (Spencer, 1972b: 57; Spencer, 1976: 273 (fig. 491), 274).

Elongated upper-surfcace blotch with fairly little frass in loose grains. Pupation outside the mine; exit slit in upper epidermis (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Larva: The larvae of flies are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall.

The larva is described by de Meijere (1925). Posterior spiracles each with an ellipse of 8-10 bulbs (Spencer, 1972b: 57; Spencer, 1976: 274). The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Liriomyza taraxaci larva, dorsal Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Puparium: The puparia of flies are formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

The puparium is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Liriomyza taraxaci puparium Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Comments: Leontodon autumnalis is treated as Scorzoneroides autumnalis (Autumn Hawkbit) by Stace (2010).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Asteraceae
Scorzoneroides	autumnalis	Autumn Hawkbit		Spencer, 1972b: 114
Taraxacum				Robbins, 1991: 123
Taraxacum				Spencer, 1972b: 25
Taraxacum	officinale	Dandelion		Mines in BMNH
Taraxacum	officinale	Dandelion		Spencer, 1972b: 115

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae
Aposeris				Bladmineerders van Europa
Arnoseris				Spencer, 1990: 263
Arnoseris				Bladmineerders van Europa
Leontodon				Bladmineerders van Europa
Sonchus				Spencer, 1990: 263
Taraxacum				Spencer, 1976: 274
Taraxacum				Spencer, 1990: 263
Taraxacum	officinale	Dandelion		Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: June-August.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Widespread in Britain including Perth (Killin) (Spencer, 1972b: 57), Warwickshire (Coventry, Holbrooks) (Robbins, 1991: 123); South-west Yorkshire and Surrey (NBN Atlas).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland: Co. Kilkenny (Spencer, 1972b: 57).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in Europe including Denmark, Sweden, Norway (Spencer, 1976: 274); The Netherlands, Luxembourg (Bladmineerders van Europa), Belgium (de Bruyn and von Tschirnhaus, 1991), Germany (Spencer, 1976: 562), Canary Is., Finland, French mainland, Lithuania, Poland and Spanish mainland (Fauna Europaea).

Range extending eastwards to the Central Asian Republics of the [former] U.S.S.R. (Spencer, 1976: 274).

Also recorded in Canada (Spencer, 1969a: 188).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: