Fringed Sandwort (A. ciliata), Arctic Sandwort (A. norvegica norvegica), English Sandwort (A. norvegica anglica), Slender Sandwort (A. serpyllifolia leptoclados) and Thyme-leaved Sandwort (A. serpyllifolia serpyllifolia) are native to Britain. Mossy Sandwort (A. balearica) and Mountain Sandwort (A. montana) have been intorduced.

Arctic or Norwegian Sandwort (A. norvegica) is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

The anthomyiid Delia echinata is recorded on Arenaria by Ackland in Chandler (1978), but it is not clear whether this host association is British or Foreign (see AGROSTEMMA).

Elsewhere the anthomyid Delia echinata and the drosophilid Scaptomyza graminum are recorded mining Arenaria.

One non-Diptera leaf-miner, Coleophora lithargyrinella, is recorded on Arenaria in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere three additional British non-Diptera mines , Caryocolum alsinella, Coleophora chalcogramella and Coleophora solitariella, are recorded on Arenaria (see below).

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Arenaria is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Coleophora lithargyrinella, Coleophora chalcogramella, Coleophora solitariella, Delia echinata and Scaptomyza graminum.

Key for the identification of the mines of British
non-Diptera recorded on Arenaria

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).

1a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer

2

1b > Leaf-miner, but not a case-bearer: Initially mining the leaves, but later on spun flowers and seeds (UKMoths).

Recorded on Cerastium and Minuartia in Britain and Arenaria, Cerastium, Minuartia, Moehringia and Stellaria elsewhere. Widespread in Britain, Ireland and continental Europe.

Caryocolum alsinella (Zeller, 1868) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae] .

2a> Leaf-miner and case-bearer: In autumn the larva makes a short corridor, that widens into a small blotch, out of which the first case is cut. The final case, after hibernation, is a brown, tubular silken case, three-valved, c. 6 cm long, with a mouth angle of about 30° (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Cerastium and Stellaria in Britain and Arenaria, Cerastium, Moehringia and Stellaria elsewhere. Distribution in Britain unknown. Widespread in continental Europe.

Coleophora chalcogramella Zeller, 1839 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

2b> Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Larva mines leaves of Caryophyllaceae. The final case is tubular, 8 mm long, with a dorsal keel which forks and continues as two ridges to the anal end of the case (British leafminers). The larval case is very distinctive when fully grown as it is a pale pink colour and has a double dorsal keel (UKMoths). Larva in a trivalved tubular silken case of 8 mm long, with a mouth angle of 25°-30°. The case is pale brown. A unique detail is the presence of a double dorsal keel, but this only occurs when the larva is fully developed: the foremost part of the keel remains single, but already the fork appears before the middle (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Case and mine of Coleophora lithargyrinella on Stellaria holostea Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)

Recorded on Arenaria, Cerastium, Silene and Stellaria in Britain and Arenaria, Cerastium and Stellaria elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.

Coleophora lithargyrinella Zeller, 1849 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

2c> Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Larva mines leaves, forming a case from an excised mine. This case is later extended, and widened by slitting the ventral side to insert a gusset. The full-grown case is 8 mm long with a single ventral keel (British leafminers). Full grown larva in a slender greyish white three-valved tubular silken case of c. 8 mm; mouth angle about 45°. Often several cases together on a small number of plants (Bladmineerders van Europa). The case and feeding holes are illustrated in the Encyclopedia of Life.

Recorded on Cerastium, Myosoton, Silene and Stellaria, but not yet on Arenaria, in Britain and Arenaria, Cerastium, Myosoton and Stellaria elsewhere. Britain including Bedfordshire, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, Isle Of Wight, North Essex, West Suffolk and Worcestershire. Widespread in continental Europe.

Coleophora solitariella Zeller, 1849 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]