The leaf and stem  mines of British flies and other insects by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds


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ALNUS. Alder. [Betulaceae]


Alder (A. glutinosa) is the only native species of Alnus in Britain, although Italian Alder (A. cordata), Grey Alder (A. incana), Seaside Alder (A. maritima), Oriental Alder (A. orientalis), Red Alder (A. rubra) and Green Alder (A. viridis) have been introduced.

Only one Diptera miner, the agromyzid Agromyza alnivora, is recorded on Alnus in Britain and elsewhere.

The agromyzid Phytobia cambii feeds in the cambium of Salix and Populus in Britain and also Alnus, Betula and Carpinus elsewhere.

Thirty-eight non-Diptera miners are recorded on Alnus in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere two additional British non-Diptera miners are recorded on Alnus (see below).

 

Alder - Alnus glutinosa Image:  Brian Pitkin
Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Dickerson provides keys to the mines of Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae, Heliozelidae, Bucculatricidae and Gracillariidae recorded on Alnus glutinosa in Britain (British leafminers).

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Alnus is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Agromyza alnivora, Anoplus plantaris, Anoplus roboris, Apterona paludella, Atemelia torquatella, Bucculatrix cidarella, Caloptilia elongella, Caloptilia falconipennella, Coleophora ahenella, Coleophora alnifoliae, Coleophora anatipenella, Coleophora binderella, Coleophora fuscocuprella, Coleophora limosipennella, Coleophora milvipennis, Coleophora orbitella, Coleophora serratella, Coleophora siccifolia, Coleophora violacea, Ectoedemia minimella, Fenusa dohrnii, Fenusa pumila, Heliozela resplendella, Heterarthrus vagans, Incurvaria pectinea, Leucoptera malifoliella, Orchestes jota, Orchestes testaceus, Paracrania chrysolepidella, Phyllonorycter alnivorella, Phyllonorycter alpina, Phyllonorycter chrysella, Phyllonorycter froelichiella, Phyllonorycter klemannella, Phyllonorycter rajella, Phyllonorycter stettinensis, Phyllonorycter strigulatella, Phyllonorycter suaveolentis, Phyllonorycter vulturella, Scolioneura betuleti, Stigmella alnetella, Stigmella glutinosae, Tachyerges pseudostigma, Tachyerges stigma but not Bohemannia quadrimaculella, Bucculatrix thoracella,

The following species have been recorded from Alnus in the literature, but the identifications seem dubious: Orchestes alni (Kollár, 2007a), Phyllonorycter corylifoliella (Hartig, 1939a), Rhamphus pulicarius (Roques, 1998a) (Bladmineerders van Europa)




Key for the identification of the known Diptera mines on
Alnus
in Great Britain and Ireland




1> Larva forming a linear leaf mine, considerably widening at end.

Mine of Agromyza alnivora on Alnus glutinosa. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Agromyza alnivora on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

On Alnus in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and Europe.

Agromyza alnivora Spencer [Diptera: Agromyzidae].



Non-Diptera miners recorded on Alnus in Britain

Bohemannia quadrimaculella (Boheman 1853) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae]

 

Bud and twig bark miner: Mine in buds or twig bark (British leafminers).

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Coleophora alnifoliae Barasch 1934 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva creates a succession of cases, in this instance fashioned from parts of a leaf. The final case is 11-13 mm long, slender, and fixed at 45° to the leaf surface, with anal end laterally compressed and bivalved (British leafminers).

A slender, brown, spathulate leaf case, in the end about 13 mm long; mouth angle about 15°. Young case slender, not hooked (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora alnifoliae on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora alnifoliae on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Colephora binderella Staudinger 1859 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Larva mines leaves. The case is enlarged several times by mining a leaf-edge and inserting the existing case into the mine which is joined with silk. The final case is 7-8 mm long (British leafminers).

Larva in a composite leaf case, composed of large leaf fragments. Characteristically, the leaf fragments are attached in a failry untidy way. In spring the case has two colours, because the old material (dull yellowish, grey or pink) dates from before the hibernation, while new, reddish brown material dates from after the winter. The case finally is about 7-8 mm long; the mouth angle is 40-45°. (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora binderella on Betula pendula  Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora binderella on Betula pendula
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora orbitella Zeller 1849 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Composite leaf case. The material used to enlarge the case consists of large pieces of full depth mine, that are attached with such precision that they may seem seemless. In the course of summer an autumn two (sometimes three, according to Hering, 1927b) pieces are added. No more material is added after hibernation, causing the case in spring to be rather uniformly coloured (contrary to C. binderella, that does add an extension in spring, and is made of fresh leaf material) (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora orbitella on Betula pendula Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora orbitella on Betula pendula
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora serratella (Linnaeus 1761) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva feeds by inserting its head into small mines it creates on the leaves of birch, elm, alder, or hazel. Occasionally it is found feeding on other trees, or on herbaceous plants onto which it has accidentally fallen. It forms two cases during its larval life. The first case is initially curved, smooth, laterally compressed with a bivalved anal opening, and about 2 mm long in September. During October it feeds, and adds a few rough collars of larval material around the oral opening. After hibernation, it feeds again in April and early May, adding more protruding collars until they equal or exceed the original smooth part of the case. At the same time, it expands the case girth by the creation of a silk gusset ventrally. The second case, 6 or 7 mm long, is formed in May, leaving the vacated first case attached to its last feeding mine. The new case is tubular with a trivalved crimp at the anal opening. The dorsum is formed from the edge of the leaf from which the case was cut. This results in a more or less serrated dorsal keel, depending on the plant species and the individual piece of leaf used. Considerable variation in the degree of serration can be found, even among specimens off the same tree. The case colour varies with food plant, from yellowish brown on birch, darkening through elm and hazel to dark brown on alder (UKMoths).

The strongly curved young case is is a composite leaf case, the adult case is a tubular leaf case. The adult case is bivalved, about 7 mm in length; the mouth angle is around 30°. The case is straw coloured and almost always has a toothed dorsal keel (remnant of the margin of the leaf from which the case was cut). Neither larvae or cases of C. coracipennella, prunifoliae, serratela and spinella can be separated; from serratella (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora serratella on Crataegus Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora serratella on Crataegus
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora violaceae (Ström 1783) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: 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).

Case of Coleophora violacea on Ulmus minor Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora violacea on Ulmus minor
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Anoplus roboris Suffrian 1840 [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]

 

Leaf-mine: Oviposition in the underside of the midrib or a thick lateral vein; the oviposition site develops into a large scar. The larva makes a corridor that runs towards the leaf margin. The ultimate part of the mine is a corridor in the leaf tip, with frass in a narrow black central line (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Anoplus roboris on Alnus Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)
Mine of Anoplus roboris on Alnus
Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)

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Orchestes jota (Fabricius, 1787) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]

 

Leaf-mine: Oviposition in the midrib. From there a corridor the larva enters the lamina which suddenly and strongly widens. The larva finally pupates in a globular cocoon inside the mine. Because the mine is formed when the leaf already is fully developed mined leaves have a normal shape (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Orchestes jota on Betula pubescens Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Orchestes jota on Betula pubescens
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Orchestes testaceus (Müller, 1766) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]

 

Leaf-mine: Oviposition in the underside of the midrib or a thick lateral vein; later a large scar is visible there. Initially the larva tunnels in the midrib or vein, that inflates and disfigures somewhat as a result. Then the larva starts a corridor in the leaf blade, quite narrow at first, but strongly widening as the larva approaches the leaf margin or leaf tip. The mine is reddish brown in colour. The mature larva makes itself a dark brown globular cocoon in the mine and pupates there. Because the mine is made at a time that the leaf still is unfolding, the leaf becomes permanently rumpled. In the course of the summer the mine erodes away, but the combination of the oviposition scar, the swolllen mibrib and the frayed leave missing a large part of its distal half remains unmistakable (Bladmineerders van Europa, as testaceus).

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Fenusa dohrnii (Tischbein 1846) [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae]

 

Leaf mine: A large brownish blotch, without an initial corridor. Usually the mine starts near a vein axil, and expands towards the leaf margin. The mine mostly remains enclosed by two thick lateral veins; only near the leaf margin (and especially in thin shadow leaves) the mine may trespass over the side veins. Often several mines in a leaf. The mine is upper surface, but quite deep, specially when the larva is young not all tissue is eaten away, and the mine keeps a greenish tinge there. Contrary to Heterarthrus vagans, at least as common on the same host, the larva vacates the mine prior to pupation (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Fenusa dohrnii on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Fenusa dohrnii on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Heterarthrus vagans (Fallén 1808) [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae]

 

Leaf mine: A large, practically full depth brownish blotch, without an initial corridor. The mine begins somewhere on the leaf and expands in all directions, without having much consideration with even major veins. In this respect the mine differs from that of Fenusa dohrnii on the same host plant. Moreover, as a rule there is just one mine per leaf. The full grown larva makes a disc-shaped cocoon within its mine, with a diameter of about 7-9 mm. Unlike F. dohrnii the larva is rather vividly pigmented and can easily be observed without dissecting the mine. Like most sawflies the larva lies belly-up in its mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Heterarthrus vagan on Alnus glutinosa  Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Heterarthrus vagans on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Scolioneura betuleti (Klug, 1816) [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae]

 

Leaf mine: Large, transparent, in fresh condition pale green blotch that begins at the leaf margin, without an accumulation of frass. Mine and larva are undistinguishable from those of S. vicina, but vicina larvae live from mid May till mid June, while the larvae of betuleti are found only in August - October (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Scolioneura betuleti on Betula pendula Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Scolioneura betuleti on Betula pendula
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Bucculatrix cidarella (Zeller 1839) [Lepidoptera: Bucculatricidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The larva of this species creates a gallery mine. The mine is similar to those of the alder-feeding Nepticulidae, but is generally shorter, with the larval exit-hole on the upperside of the leaf rather than the underside. After vacating the mine, the larva grazes on the underside of the leaf in the manner of other Bucculatricidae (UKMoths).

Short and narrow corridor, starting at an oval, iridescent egg shell that is usually placed at the leaf underside, close to a thick vein. The larval chamber is more than three times as long as wide and is vacated through an upper surface exit slit. Frass in a narrow central black line; when the mine is made in Bog-Myrtle the thick frass line almost fills the corridor. Older larvae live free and cause window-feeding (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Bucculatrix cidarella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis Nederlandse bladmineerders
Mine of Bucculatrix cidarella on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis Bladmineerders van Europa

The mine is also described and illustrated in British leafminers.

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Caloptilia elongella (Linnaeus 1761) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The larvae feed at first in a mine, and later in a folded or rolled leaf (UKMoths).

The mine begins with a usually rather short gallery, that opens into (and often is overrun by) a silvery epidermal upper-surface blotch with light brown frass. When the mine gets older it contracts and becomes an elongate blister or even a tube. Soon the larva leaves the mine and continues feeding within a downwards rolled leaf margin, that is fastened with silk (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Caloptilia elongella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Caloptilia elongella on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Caloptilia falconipennella (Hübner 1813) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: Initially in short gallery becoming a brownish blotch near the leaf margin. Later in two or three Parornix-like folds at the edge of the leaf (British leafminers).

Small (up to 10 mm long), lower-surface blotch near the leaf margin, with a brownish lower epidermis. The mine in fact is a tentiform mine, but so little silk is produced that the blotch hardly contracts at all. The mine is preceded by a quite short corridor, that is overrun by the later blotch. The older larva leaves its mine and starts feeding under a flap of the leaf margin that is folded down and fixed with silk on the blade underside. Two or three such folds are made, not necessarily on the same leaf. The fact that no leaf rolls are made, but parts of the leaf are folded down rather makes one think of the work of a Parornix (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Caloptilia falconipennella on Alnus Image: Ian Thirlwell (British leafminers)
Mines of Caloptilia falconipennella on Alnus
Image: Ian Thirlwell (British leafminers)

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Phyllonorycter froelichiella (Zeller 1839) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine is underside, about 25 mm long, often from midrib to margin of leaf. The lower epidermis appears smooth. There may be several mines in a leaf (British leafminers).

Large, lower-surface tentiform mine, often occupying the entire space between two side veins, from the midrib almost to the leaf margin, Lower epidermis without clear folds.The larva is grey (all other phyllonorycters on Alder are white). Pupa in a light brown cocoon that is fastened to the roof of the mine. The cocoon is entirely free of frass: all frass is accumulated in the inner corner of the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Phyllonorycter froelichiella.  Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)
Mines of Phyllonorycter froelichiella
Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)

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Phyllonorycter kleemannella (Fabricius 1781) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine is underside, small, seldom reaching midrib. The lower epidermis with several small creases, sometimes several larvae mine the same leaf (British leafminers).

Lower-surface tentiform mine between two side veins, often at quite some distance from the midrib. Lower surface with many folds, all very weak. Often several mines in one leaf. Pupa in a white cocoon in an angle of the mine, attached to the roof. The cocoon is free from frass; all frass is heaped in an angle of the mine, opposite to the cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Phyllonorycter kleemannella on Acer glutinosa Images: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)

Mine of Phyllonorycter kleemannella on Acer glutinosa
Images: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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Phyllonorycter rajella (Linnaeus 1758) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine is underside, small, at or near midrib. The lower epidermis with one strong crease (British leafminers).

Lower-surface tentiform mine, not longer than 20 mm, usually in the axil of a thick lateral vein, with one strong length fold. Pupa in a tough off-white cocoon that is fastened to the floor and the roof of the mine. Almost all frass is incorporated in the sides of the cocoon (visible with a loupe in transparancy as two dark lines). In autumn not infrequently five or more mines in one leaf (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Phyllonorycter rajella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Phyllonorycter rajella on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Phyllonorycter stettinensis (Nicelli 1852) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine is upper side, oval, over midrib or side-vein - the upper epidermis flimsy with one strong crease (British leafminers).

Unlike other species that form an upperside mine, the surface is not papery, but quite glossy and heavily creased. The mine begins green and then turns orange or brown when more mature (UKMoths).

Upper-surface, fairly small, almost flat tentiform mine with a characteristic yellow green colour. The mine has a single, moderately strong, fold. Generally the mine is positioned over a lateral vein. Frass in a clump in a corner of the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Phyllonorycter stettinensis on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Phyllonorycter stettinensis on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Phyllonorycter strigulatella (Lienig & Zeller 1846) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine is underside, between veins, narrow and close to midrib (British leafminers).

Often there are several to one leaf, and have a distinct brown tinge (UKMoths).

Elongated, lower-surface, in the end tubular contracted tentiform mine, usualy starting at a small distance from the midrib. The lower epidermis with many weak wrinkles but no clear folds. Often several mines in a leaf. All frass is accumulated in an angle of the mine. Pupa in a white cocoon that is free from frass (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Phyllonorycter strigulatella on Alnus incana Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Phyllonorycter strigulatella on Alnus incana
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Heliozela resplendella (Stainton 1851) [Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The mine formed in the leaf-veins and midrib leads to an oval blotch (British leafminers). When fully fed, the larva cuts out an oval case, in which it descends to the ground and pupates (UKMoths).

The mine begins in one of the more heavy veins of a leaf. Boring in the vein the larva descends towards the midrib. Often in this process the larva moves from one thick vein to another by way of a hair-thin transverse corridor. Once in the midrib the larva descends, not rarely even for one or two cm into the petiole (one can see that by cleaving a petiole). Finally the larva returns into the leaf by way of the midrib, and makes a short, full depth, quickly widening corridor with a clear central line of frass. In the end an oval excision of made of about 2 x 5 mm, in which the larva drops to the ground (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Heliozela resplendella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Heliozela resplendella on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Incurvaria pectinea Haworth 1828 [Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae]

 

Leaf-mine: The larva starts making a corridor of a few mm, followed, and mostly overrun, by a circular blotch of 4-5 mm diameter (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Generally several larvae feed in a single leaf, creating a distinctive pattern of feeding windows. The larvae then cut out circular cases and drop to the leaf-litter to continue feeding, leaving behind a leaf containing many circular or oval cut-outs (UKMoths).

Mines of Incurvaria pectinea on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Incurvaria pectinea on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Stigmella alnetella (Stainton 1856) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae]

 

Leaf-mine: A narrow gallery with frass in thin central line. The moths must be bred through to distinguish S.alnetella and S.glutinosae (British leafminers).

Ovipostion at the leaf lower surface. Then a full depth slender, corridor, often following a vein or the leaf margin for some distance. Frass in a continuous central line that nowhere is wider than one third of the corridor width. Frass never coiled. Usually only one mine in a leaf. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Stigmella alnetella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Stigmella alnetella on Alnus glutinosa.
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Stigmella glutinosae (Stainton 1858) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae]

 

Leaf-mine: A gallery with frass partly dispersed, but sometimes in a thin line (as S. alnetella). The moths must be bred through to distinguish between this and S.alnetella (British leafminers).

Oviposition at the leaf underside. Then a full depth, fairly slender corridor, often several in a leaf. Frass line very variable, sometimes coiled, mostly more than on third of the width of the corridor. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Stigmella glutinosae on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Stigmella glutinosae on Alnus glutinosa
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Additional British non-Diptera miners recorded on Alnus elsewhere

Coleophora anatipennella (Hübner, 1796) [Lepidoptera: Bucculatricidae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The early case is tiny and the larva makes a series of tiny holes on the leaf. After overwintering it makes a shiny pistol shaped case in spring and window feeds (British leafminers).

The young larva, before hibernation, makes tiny mines, sometimes tens in one leaf. After hibernation window feeding is done. In this latter stage the larva lives in a shining black pistol case of about 7 mm, that, with a mouth angle of 70°-80°, stands almost perpendicular on the leaf (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Feeding damage caused by Coleophora anatipennella Image: Ian Thirlwell (British leafminers)
Feeding damage caused by Coleophora anatipennella
Image: Ian Thirlwell (British leafminers)

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Coleophora ahenella Heinemann, 1877 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Lobe case. The full grown case is about 7 mm long. The mouth angle is 0°, causing the case to lie flat on the leaf. The case is gradually enlarged by the addition of rings that are cut out of the epidermis. The rings become gradually larger, and stick irregularly out of the contour of the case. The rings are cut out of the lower epidermis of the mine. This implies that mines may have both normal, small openings, and large ones. Compare for instance C. violacea, that cuts rings out of the upper epidermis (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine and case of Coleophora ahenella on Rhamnus frangula Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)

Mine and case of Coleophora ahenella on Rhamnus frangula
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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Coleophora fuscocuprella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Lobe case. Many small leaf fragments are attached to the tubular case; its end is strongly curved downwards. The larvae are attached to the leaf underside, where they make a large number of relatively small full depth mines (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Coleophora fuscocuprella on Corylus avellana Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Coleophora fuscocuprella on Corylus avellana
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora limosipennella (Duponchel, 1843) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: This species produces a distinctive larval case in its later stages with a noticeably serrated upper edge, and affixed almost parallel to the leaf surface. The larvae overwinter when small and recommence feeding in late spring (UKMoths).

Oviposition generally in a vein axil. From there a short, relatively wide corridor is made that quickly widens into an elliptical blotch. Much of the frass is ejected through the hole that the larva has made to bore itself into the leaf (in C. badiipennella, on the same host plant, the frass remains within the mine. This blotch is excised to make the juvenile case. The full grown larva lives in a brown spatulate leaf case of 9-11.5 mm; its rear end is bivalved. Mouth angle 0°-20°; just behind the mouth the case shows a conspicuous bend (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Cases on Coleophora limosipennella on Ulmus minor Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Cases on Coleophora limosipennella on Ulmus minor
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora milvipennis Zeller, 1839 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Larva mining leaves, the blotches brownish. The final case is 8-11 mm long, slender, and fixed at 45° to leaf surface, with anal end laterally compressed. The case has a serrated keel due to formation from the edge of a leaf (British leafminers).

Spatulate leaf case. Strikingly slender, bivalved case, 8-11 mm long, with a slight curve at the rear end, that is keeled and often toothed. The end is laterally compressed. Mouth angle 45°. The full depth mines often are conspicuously brown (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora milvipennis on Betula pubescens Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora milvipennis on Betula pubescens
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Coleophora siccifolia Stainton, 1856 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Tubular leaf case. The case is almost barrel-shaped, with a large leaf fragment that, while withering, folds itself untidily arround the tube (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case of Coleophora siccifolia on Betula.  Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Case of Coleophora siccifolia on Betula
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Anoplus plantaris (Naezén, 1794) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae].

 

Leaf-mine: Long, full depth mine, starting at an oviposition scar, mostly in the distal part of the midrib; the scar may be swollen and gall-like. Frass line variable in width, sometimes quite broad. Usually the corridor loosely follows the leaf margin, and the part of the leaf that is cut off from the centre dies off. The larvae live in spring, when the leaf is unfolding; later in summer affected leaves are recognisable because the tip of the leaf and parts of the marginal teeth are missing, by remnants of the corridor and by a general disfiguring of the leaf. The larva leaves the mine before pupation (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mines of Anoplus plantaris on Betula pubescens  Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Anoplus plantaris on Betula pubescens
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Atemelia torquatella (Lienig & Zeller, 1846) [Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae].

 

Leaf-mine: A very clear blotch, without preceding corridor, usaally harbouring several crimson marbled larvae. The mine mostly begins near the base of the midrib. Most frass is ejected from the mine, but some of the grains are trapped in a loose spinning below the leaf, that has been made by the larvae during excursions. The larvae can leave their mine and restart elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Atemelia torquatella on Betula pubescens Images: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Atemelia torquatella on Betula pubescens
Images: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Ectoedemia minimella (Zetterstedt, 1839) [Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae].

 

Leaf-mine: The mine begins as a contorted gallery, when the young larva can be seen to have dark plates on each segment. These plates are later lost and the gallery becomes a blotch with scattered frass (UKMoths).

Mine begins at a globular, black, lower-surface egg shell. From there starts a short tortuous corridor, that widens into a blotch, often between to lateral veins. Frass dispersed. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Ectoedemia minimella on Betula pubescens Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Ectoedemia minimella on Betula pubescens
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Fenusa pumila Leach, 1817 [Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae].

 

Leaf mine: A rather large, clear, partly full depth blotch that begins in the axil of a thick lateral vein. Often the ovipostion leaves a greyish-green scar. Generally several mines in a leaf. The mine expands within the confines of the midrib and two lateral veins; only close to the leaf margin, where the lateral veins are thin, the mine may trespass over a vein (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is also described and illustrated in British leafminers.

Mines of Fenusa pumila on Betula pubescens Image: Willem (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mines of Fenusa pumila on Betula pubescens
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Leucoptera malifoliella (O. Costa, 1836) [Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae]

 

Leaf-mine: A circular or oval brownish blotch with a central spiral of dense blackish frass (British leafminers), sometimes several mines in one leaf (UKMoths).

Oviposition is at the leaf underside, well away from the leaf margin; the egg has a fine reticulate surface. The mine is a rather large, perfectly circular blotch without a trace of a preceeding corridor. Around the dark centre the frass, glued to the upper epidermis is arranged in distinct arcs (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Leucoptera malifoliella on Malus sylvestris Image: Willem Ellis (Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Leucoptera malifoliella on Malus sylvestris
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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Paracrania chrysolepidella (Zeller, 1851) [Leipdoptera: Eriocraniidae].

 

Leaf-mine: The larva feeds on hazel or hornbeam, creating blotches with intertwining threads of frass, typical of the genus (UKMoths).

Large white blotch, starting at the leaf margin. Frass in long threads. Often several larvae in a mine. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Eriocrania chrysolepidella Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)
Mine of Eriocrania chrysolepidella
Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)

The mine is also described and illustrated in British leafminers.

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Tachyerges pseudostigma (Tempère, 1982) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae].

 

Leaf-mine: Full depth corridor, beginning at the base of the midrib and very roughly following the leaf margin; all the while the corridor widens, until almost the entire leaf has been mined out. Frass, as coarse grains or thread fragments, in the centre of the mine. The larva pupates in the mine, in a globular cocoon made of secretion (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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Tachyerges stigma (Germar, 1821) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae].

 

Leaf-mine: Oviposition in the base of the midrib, without giving rise to an oviposition scar. The larva initially bores inside the midrib. Later it leaves the midrib, forming a broad corridor in the blade, that widens into a blotch. Finally the legless larva pupates in a globular cocoon inside the mine. Because the mine develops at a time that the leaf is fully developed, mined leaves are not disfigured (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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Last updated 06-Aug-2010  Brian Pitkin

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