The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects
 

(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)

by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds

 

Phytoliriomyza variegata (Meigen, 1830)
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Agromyza variegata Meigen, 1830. Syst. Beschr. 6: 180
Phytoliriomyza variegata (Meigen, 1830); Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 302, (figs 545-7 - missing)
Phytoliriomyza variegata (Meigen, 1830); Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 111, 112, 123, 124 (figs 435-6), 125, 127.


Leaf-miner: A narrow linear mine adjoining the leaf margin in the first instar, which later develops into an irregular blotch with conspicuous lumps of greenish frass (Spencer, 1976: 302).

The first instar larva makes a narrow upper-surface corridor along the leaf margin. After it has moulted it begins a large upper-surface blotch. Frass in conspicuous green lumps, that can run out irregularly. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Forms a narrow linear mine by the margin of the leaf which later develops into a blotch. The blotch has clumps of greenish frass (British leafminers).

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) and Dempewolf (2001: 132); posterior spiracles with 3 bulbs.

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).

Reddish-brown; posterior spiracles each with 3 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 302).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Fabaceae        
Astragalus glycyphyllos Wild Liquorice British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. British leafminers
Astragalus glycyphyllos Wild Liquorice British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. pers. comm. Colin Plant
Colutea arborescens Bladder-senna   British leafminers
Colutea arborescens Bladder-senna   Mines in BMNH

Hosts elsewhere:

Fabaceae        
Anthyllis vulneraria Kidney Vetch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Astragalus       Spencer, 1976: 302
Astragalus cicer Chick-pea Milk-vetch   Bladmineerders van Europa
Astragalus danicus Purple Milk-vetch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Astragalus glycyphyllos Wild Liquorice British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Dempewolf, 2001: 132
Astragalus glycyphyllos Wild Liquorice British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Cicer arietum Chick Pea British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Colutea       Spencer, 1990: 111
Colutea arborescens Bladder-senna   Bladmineerders van Europa
Colutea arborescens Bladder-senna   Spencer, 1976: 302
Coronilla       Spencer, 1990: 112
Coronilla emerus subsp. emeroides     Bladmineerders van Europa
Coronilla vaginalis     Bladmineerders van Europa
Cytisus nigricans Black Broom  

Bladmineerders van Europa, as Lembotropis nigricans

Lathyrus       Spencer, 1990: 112
Lathyrus sylvestris Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Lathyrus sylvestris Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 302
Oxytropis       Spencer, 1990: 112
Oxytropis       Bladmineerders van Europa
Securinega varia Crown Vetch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al.

Bladmineerders van Europa, as Coronilla varia

Vicia       Spencer, 1990: 112

Time of year - mines: June, August.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Northamptonshire (pers. comm. Colin Plant).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe (Spencer, 1976: 302) including The Netherlands (Bladmineerders van Europa), Belgium (de Bruyn and von Tschirnhaus, 1991), Germany (Spencer, 1976: 562; Dempewolf, 2001: 132), Czech Republic, Denmark, French mainland, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Spanish mainland, Sweden and Yugoslavia (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Anthyllis vulneraria, Astragalus cicer, Astragalus danicus, Astragalus glycyphyllos, Colutea arborescens, Cytisus nigricans, Lathyrus sylvestris, Securinega varia

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea   
Chrysocharis pentheus (Walker, 1839) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis pubicornis (Zetterstedt, 1838) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Cirrospilus vittatus Walker, 1838 Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Diglyphus chabrias (Walker, 1838) Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Hemiptarsenus ornatus (Nees, 1834) Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Pnigalio soemius (Walker, 1839) Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Miscogaster rufipes Walker Pteromalidae: Miscogastrinae
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Coloneura stylata Förster, 1862 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Colastes braconius Haliday, 1833 Braconidae: Exothecinae
Eurytenes abnormis (Wesmael, 1835) Braconidae: Opiinae


External links: Search the internet:
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
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