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AGRIMONIA. Agrimony. [Rosaceae] |
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Two species of Agrimonia are recorded in Britain, the native Agrimony (A. eupatoria L.) and Fragrant Agrimony (A. procera Wallr.). Onbly one Diptera miner, the agromyzid Agromyza idaeina, is recorded on Agrimonia in Britain. Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Agromyza idaeina, Liriomyza strigata and Liriomyza trifolii are recorded mining Agrimonia. Eight non-Diptera miners are recorded on Agrimonia in Britain (see below). Elsewhere twelve British non-Diptera miners are recorded on Agrimonia (see below). |
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A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Agrimonia is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Incurvaria praetella, Coptotriche heinemanni, Fenella nigrita, Cnephasia incertana, Cnephasia asseclana, Cnephasia stephensiana, Agromyza idaeina, Ectoedemia agrimoniae, Ectoedemia arcuatella, Stigmella aeneofasciella, Stigmella splendidissimella, Stigmella auromarginella, Stigmella aurella, Stigmella thuringiaca, Coleophora violaceae, Coleophora potentillae. N.B. The key to mines below includes mines recorded on Agrimonia, Filipendula, Fragaria, Geum, Malus, Potentilla, Rosa, Rubus and Sanguisorba (Rosaceae). |
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Note: Diptera larvae may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, or a blotch mine, but never in a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Pupation never in a cocoon. All mining Diptera larvae 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 larvae lie on their sides within the mine and use their pick-like mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. In some corridor miners frass may lie in two rows on alternate sides of the mine. In order to vacate the mine the fully grown larva cuts an exit slit, which is usually semi-circular (see Liriomyza huidobrensis video). The pupa is 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). 1# > Details of mine unknown
Pegomya rubivora (Coquillett, 1897) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae] 1a > Leaf-miner: Initially a linear mine which later develops into a conspicuous blotch; frass in two rows in linear section, scattered irregularly in the blotch. Larval mandibles with two teeth (Spencer, 1976). Corridor, gradually and considerably widening towards the end. Frass in two rows in the corridor part, further up dispersed irregularly. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). A short broad upper surface corridor leading to a long blotch between veins (British leafminers).
Agromyza idaeina (Hardy, 1853) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. 1b > Leaf-miner: A long linear mine, never widening into a blotch at end (Spencer, 1976: 107-8, fig. 167). Long upper-surface corridor. Many straight stretches, often along the midrib. Frass in discrete grains, here and there in thread fragments, but never in pearl strings. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). A long straight mine, which is sometimes branched. Found in the upper leaf surface (British leafminers).
Agromyza filipendulae Spencer, 1976 [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. 1c > Leaf-miner: Mine frequently starting along leaf margin, initially linear, later developing into an elongate blotch, frass in two distinct rows, even at end (Spencer, 1972: 30, fig. 74; Spencer, 1976: 144, fig. 263A). First a long corridor, its initial part often along the leaf margin or a thick vein. Rather suddenly the corridor widens into a broad blotch. The corridor contains much, amorphous frass that sometimes seems to fill the entire corridor (lower picture). In the blotch the frass is in black strings and coarse lumps. (In rainy weather they liquify and loose their shape). Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). A narrow upper surface gallery to start, then broadening and zigzagging to create a false blotch (British leafminers).
Agromyza sulfuriceps Strobl, 1898 [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. 1d > Leaf-miner: Mine irregularly linear, even forming secondary blotch. Pupation in mine (Spencer, 1972: 93 (fig. 315). Very shallow, irregularly branched corridor, sometimes a narrow blotch. The mine is upper-surface, sometimes also interparenchymatous. The colour is pale green, larer more rust-coloured. Frass in small, widely spaced grains. Papation takes place within the mine. Hibernation in the mine, among fallen leaves (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Phytomyza heringiana Hendel, 1922 [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. |
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Key for the identification of British non-Diptera mines recorded on
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Note: The larvae of mining Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, a blotch mine, a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Larva may pupate in a silk cocoon. The larva may have at least six legs (although they may be reduced or absent), a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding). Larvae of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera usually also have abdominal legs (see examples). Frass, if present, never in two rows. Unless feeding externally from within a case the larva usually vacates the mine by chewing an exit hole. Pupa with visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
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1a > Miner and case bearer. The larva lives outside the mine, protected by a case, and feeds on the underlying plant tisses via a hole cut in the epidermis. Mine does not contain frass - Coleophora species 1b > Leaf-miner, but not a case-bearer: The larva lives mainly inside the mine. Mine usually contains frass. In later instars the larva may live sandwiched between two more or less circular sections cut from the leaf e.g. Incurvaria species.
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2a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: In addition to the small hole where the case was attached there is often a larger hole where the larva has cut a piece of leaf epidermis to create its case. No frass in mine. The case resembles that of C. violacea, but does not lie so flat again the leaf as this species (having a mouth angle of 30 to 50°). C. violacea also has a case which bulges in the middle, whereas in C. potentillae the case tapers towards the posterior (British leafminers). Immediately after emergence the larva makes a full depth, quickly widening, corridor, with frass as small grains in a broad central band. Finally results a blotch of 2 x 5 mm, from which the youth case is cut. The fully developed case is a hairy, greyish brown to silver grey lobe case of about 1 cm long, with a clearly laterally compressed end; the mouth angle is about 90°. The case is difficult to separate from that of C. ochripennella (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Coleophora potentillae (Elisha, 1885) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].
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2b > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: In addition to the small hole where the case was attached there is often a larger hole where the larva has cut a piece of leaf epidermis to create its case. No frass in mine. The larva feeds on a wide range of trees, shrubs and herbs, favouring Rosaceae, but not exclusively. The fully developed cased larva may be found active in October and again, after winter diapause, in April. Cases, about 6 mm, of diapausing larvae may be found through winter, fixed to a tree or fence post. The dorsal surface of the case is usually covered in leaf fragments, but they can sometimes be worn off almost smooth. The ventral surface is swollen at the middle and has a keel, which usually bends upwards at the posterior. The cases of C. ahenella (on Rhamnus, Frangula, Viburnum and Cornus) and C. potentillae (case less swollen, keel not bent up, resting position less prone) are very similar (UKMoths). Brownish lobe case that lies almost flat on the leaf, either on the upper or on the lower side. Case widest about the middle. Ventrally there is a distinct keel. Mouth angle 0°. Full depth mines rather large. The flaps of cuticular tissue that serve to enlarge the case are cut out of the upper epidermis. (contrary to C. ahenella and C. potentillae, that use tissue from the lower epidermis). The removal of these tissue flaps creates holes that are much larger than those that serve as the entrance to the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Coleophora violaceae (Ström, 1783) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].
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3a > Leaf-miner: A long usually narrow winding corridor mine with a central line of frass. Larva not living in a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars |
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3b > Leaf-miner: Either a blotch or short corridor which becomes a blotch. Larva may live in a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars |
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4a> Leaf-miner: A slender gallery, leading to blotch. Larva is a pale watery greenish yellowish (whereas S. poterii its yellow) (British leafminers). Egg someplace at the underside of the leaf. The first part of the mine is a long, slender corridor, rather straight, often folllowing a vein or the leaf margin. The frass here is black, lying in a very narrow central line. The corridor abruptly widens into a large blotch, where the the frass lies irregularly scattered (Bladmineerders van Europa). Recorded on Agrimonia, Fragaria and Potentilla in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. |
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Stigmella aeneofasciella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].
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4b > Leaf-miner: A long gallery with dispersed frass (British leafminers). Oviposition may be at either side of the leaf, not necessarily close to a vein. The mine is a not very tortuous corridor, not widened in the end. Frass in a broad central line. The mine strongly overlaps with the one of S. splendidissimella (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Stigmella aurella (Fabricius, 1775) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].
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4c > Leaf-miner: Egg on the leaf upperside. The mine is an unusually short, not very tortuous corridor with a central line of frass that is irregularly interrupted and takes about 2/3 of the corridor width. Pupation external (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Stigmella auromarginella (Richardson, 1890) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae]
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4d> Leaf-miner: A long sinuous gallery with narrow frass-line (British leafminers). Oviposition generally at the leaf upper side, not especially close to a vein. From there a long and slender corridor starts, with frass usually in a narrow central line. The corridor often crosses itself, but rarely a thick vein (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Stigmella splendidissimella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].
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4e > Leaf-miner: The initial gallery is twisted and can follow the leaf edge. It contains broken linear frass. it then widens to form a blotch or gallery, with scattered frass (British leafminers). Oviposition on the leaf underside. There starts an initially strongly contorted narrow corridor with a linear interrupted frass line. This is continued in broad corridor or elongated blotch with dispersed frass. Often a number of mines in a leaf. Pupation inside the mine, in a violet to blackish cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Ectoedemia agrimoniae (Frey, 1858) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].
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4f > Leaf-miner: A gallery with dispersed frass (British leafminers). Egg at the underside of the leaf. The first part of the mine is a quite narrow and strongly contorted gallery with grey brown frass. This is followed by an elongate blotch (or broad corridor) that frequently overlaps a part of the earlier mine; here the frass lies scattered throughout the blotch. Pupation external (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Ectoedemia arcuatella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].
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5a > Leaf-miner: Egg well visible, on the upper surface (contary to Metallus pumilus). The mine is a large, transparant, upper-surface blotch, yellowish green at first, brownish later. Silk is deposited in the mine, but the quantity is too little to influence its colour; also the mine does not contract, like in C. marginea. All frass is ejected through a small opening in the underside of the mine. Pupation takes place after hibernation, within the mine; pupa not in a cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Coptotriche heinemanni (Wocke, 1871) [Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae].
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5b > Leaf-miner: Small (less than 1 cm), full depth blotch, transparent when fresh, starting at the leaf margin, usually near the leaf tip; frass in scattered grains. The larva makes an elliptic double sided excision to form a case. Subsequently, it continues feeding from within the case (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Incurvaria praelatella (Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775) [Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae].
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5c > Leaf-miner: Full depth transparent blotch without a clear preceding corridor, quickly and strongly widening from the start. Frass in sausage-shaped granules. Often several leaflets of a composite leaf each have a mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).
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Fenella nigrita Westwood, 1839 [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae].
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| Last updated 04-Feb-2012 Brian Pitkin |  |
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