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ASTER.
Asters and Michaelmas-daisies. [Asteraceae]
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Twenty-eight
species of Aster are recorded in Britain - the native Goldilocks
Aster (A. linosyris) and Sea Aster (A. tripolium)
and the introduced European Michaelmas-daisy (A. amellus),
Glaucous Michaelmas-daisy (A. laevis), Narrow-leaved Michaelmas-daisy (A.
lanceolatus), Hairy Michaelmas-daisy (A. novae-angliae),
Confused Michaelmas-daisy (A. novi-belgii) and Nettle-leaved
Michaelmas-daisy (A. schreberi).
Nine
Diptera miners, the agromyzids Calycomyza
humeralis, Chromatomyia
asteris, Chromatomyia
'atricornis', Liriomyza
eupatorii, Liriomyza
pusilla and Liriomyza
strigata, the anthomyiid Pegomya
nigrisquama and the tephritids Cornutrypeta
spinifrons and Trypeta
zoe, are recorded on Aster in Britain.
A
further species, the agromyzid Phytoliriomyza
perpusilla may mine Aster tripolium in S. England.
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Michaelmas
Daisy
Aster tripolium
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The
polyphagous agromyzids Liromyza
huidobrensis, Liriomyza
sativae and Liriomyza
trifolii have been recorded in quarantine in Britain (Pitkin
and Plant in British leafminers).
Elsewhere
the British agromyzids Calycomyza
humeralis, Chromatomyia
asteris, Chromatomyia
syngenesiae, Liriomyza
eupatorii, Liriomyza
huidobrensis, Liriomyza
sativae, Liriomyza
strigata, Liriomyza
trifolii, Nemorimyza
posticata, Ophiomyia
curvipalpis, Ophiomyia
maura and Phytomyza
erigerophila, anthomyiids Pegomya
depressiventris and Pegomya
nigrisquama, and tephritids Cornutrypeta
spinifrons and Trypeta
zoe are recorded mining Aster.
The
agromyzids Melanagromyza
tripolii and Napomyza
tripolii bore the stems of Aster in Britain and elsewhere.
Six
non-Diptera miners are recorded on Aster in Britain (see
below).
Coleophora
obscenella is recorded feeding on seeds of Solidago virgaurea
and occasionally on Aster tripolium (see British
leafminers).
Elsewhere
seven British non-Diptera mines, are recorded on Aster (see below).
A
key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines,
immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on
Aster is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Aristaea pavoniella, Bucculatrix
maritima, Cnephasia
incertana, Cnephasia asseclana, Cnephasia stephensiana, Coleophora
amellivora, Coleophora autumnella, Coleophora conspicuella, Coleophora
ditella, Coleophora frankii, Coleophora galatellae, Coleophora
linosyridella, Coleophora longicornella, Coleophora ramosella,
Coleophora rectilineella, Orthochaetes
insignis, Scrobipalpula diffluella, Thiodia torridana, Apteropeda
orbiculata, Ophiomyia
curvipalpis, Ophiomyia
maura, Cornutrypeta
spinifrons and Trypeta
zoe, Nemorimyza
posticata, Calycomyza
humeralis, Chromatomyia
asteris, Chromatomyia
'atricornis', Liriomyza asteris, Liriomyza
eupatorii, Liriomyza
huidobrensis, Liriomyza
pusilla, Liriomyza
strigata, Pegomya
nigrisquama, Phytomyza
erigerophila, Phytomyza hoppi and Phytomyza pieninica
but not Coleophora
trochilella, Scrobipalpa
instabilella, Scrobipalpula psilella, Scrobipalpa
salinella, Liriomyza
sativae or Liriomyza
trifolii.
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Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Aster
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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).
1a > Leaf-miner: Corridor mine following the mid-rib, with lateral offshoots.
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1b > Leaf-miner: Mine not primarily above midrib.
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2a > Leaf-miner: Corridor mine following the mid-rib, with lateral offshoots.
Puparium yellow
On
numerous genera of Asteraceae, including Aster in Britain. Throughout the British Isles, more
common in the south than the north. Also continental Europe.
Trypeta
zoe Meigen, 1826 [Diptera: Tephritidae].
2b >
Leaf-miner: A distinctive mine primarily above mid-rib, with irregular short
lateral offshoots into leaf blade. Pupation external (Spencer, 1972:
51 (fig. 172), 55; Spencer, 1976:
270, 271 (fig. 486)). Branched,
whitish, upper-surface corridor; main axis overlying the midrib;
side branches overlying the main lateral veins. (In Campanula and Phyteuma the mine is much less branched, sometimes nothing
more than a corridor on top of the midrib). Frass in rather long
strings. Usually the mines begins as a long and narrow, shallow,
tortuous lower-surface corridor that ends upon the midrib but otherwise
is not associated with the leaf venation. Often this initial corridor
is filled with callus, and then even less conspicuous. Pupation
outside the mine (Bladmineerders
van Europa). A
linear mine on the upper surface, usually following the midrib and
showing side branches along the veins. The frass is in strings (British
leafminers).
On
more than 40 host genera in 15 families, including Aster, in Britain. Widespread
throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Widespread in continental Europe.
Liriomyza strigata (Meigen, 1830) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
2c > Leaf-miner: Broad corridor overlying the midrib. The mine has
a number of side branches that distally widen strongly, and may
coalesce. Primary and secondary feeding lines very conspicuous.
Puparium yellow. Pupation external, in soil.
On
Aster and Solidago in Britain in Britain and possibly
also Cirsium elsewhere. In Britain Recently recorded only
from Kent and Perth. There are old records (pre-1960) for Hereford
and Lancaster.
Cornutrypeta
spinifrons (Schroeder, 1913) [Diptera: Tephritidae].
3a > Leaf-miner: Pupation internal, at the end of the mine.
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3b > Leaf-miner: Pupation external.
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4a > Leaf-miner: A narrow, irregular linear mine; initially on lower
surface but mainly upper surface. Pupation internal. Puparium whitish
On
Aster in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread around coasts
in Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and Widespread
in continental Europe.
Chromatomyia
asteris (Hendel, 1934) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
4b >
Leaf-miner: Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal,
at the end of the mine with the anterior spiracles projecting through
the epidermis (Spencer, 1976:
433). Upper-surface,
less often lower-surface corridor. Frass in isolated grains. Pupation
within the mine, in a, usually lower-surface, pupal chamber (Bladmineerders
van Europa). A long whitish upper surface corridor, which eventually goes lower surface (British
leafminers).
Two
highly polyphagous species of Chromatomyia, with indistinguishable
mines, have been recorded in Britain. These are syngenesiae
(Hardy) and horticola
(Goureau, 1851) which can only be distinguished by the male genitalia.
Both are polyphagous and widespread in Britain and elsewhere,
although syngenesiae is almost entirely restricted to Asteraceae
(see also 'atricornis').
Chromatomyia 'atricornis' has been recorded on Aster in Britain.
Chromatomyia
horticola (Goureau, 1851) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
OR
Chromatomyia
syngenesiae Hardy, 1849 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
4c > Leaf-miner: A short linear mine initally, later a circular or oval
blotch. Frass is excreted in a black mass prior to pupation. Puparium
reddish brown to black, firmly glued with frass within the mine.
On
Aster, Bellis and Erigeron in Britain and
additional genera of Asteraceae elsewhere. Widespread in southern
England and Europe. Also recorded in Canada, Argentina, South
Africa, India, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Calycomyza
humeralis (von Roser, 1840) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
5a > Leaf-miner: A linear mine commencing with a conspicuous regular
spiral and then continuing a considerable distance more or less
straight.
On
Aster, Eupatorium, Helianthus, Lapsana and Solidago
[Asteraceae] and Galeopsis [Lamiaceae] in Britain and continental
Europe. Widespread in England. Also recorded in the Republic of
Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe and recorded in Canada.
Liriomyza
eupatorii (Kaltenbach, 1873) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
5b > Leaf-miner: An irregular linear mine, which in small leaves can
form a secondary blotch. Puparium orange
On
Aster, Bellis and Solidago in Britain and additional
genera of Asteraceae elsewhere. Widespread in Britain. Also recorded
in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread and common in much of continental Europe.
Liriomyza
pusilla (Meigen, 1830) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
5c > Leaf-miner: The pale-coloured mine runs on the upper side irregularly
to the sides, in the middle with blackish spots, where the frass
is deposited. It starts in the center of a leaf and without a small
mine leading to a large mine. Many mines in a leaf could finally
cover the whole leaf
On
Aster and Solidago in Britain and elsewhere. Rarely
found in the the UK. Recorded from Somerset, Oxford, Suffolk and
Cambridge and West Kent. Also recorded in continental Europe.
Pegomya
nigrisquama (Stein, 1888) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae].
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Key for the identification of British non-Diptera mines recorded on Aster
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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 > Leaf 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 |
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| 1b > Leaf-miner,
but not a case-bearer: The larva lives inside the mine. Mine usually contains frass |
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2a > Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: A relatively large (12-15 mm), dark brown, lightly curved two-valved
sheath case with a narrow ventral keel. Mouth angle 30-45 (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on Centaurea nigra in Britain and Aster, Centaurea,
Chrysanthemum and Scabiosa elsewhere. Recorded from
South Essex in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Coleophora
conspicuella Zeller, 1849 [Lepidoptera:
Coleophoridae].
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2b > Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: Tubular silken case, up to 8 mm long. Behind the mouth the case
is sharply bent; as a result the mouth angle is 0° and is the
case aprressed to the substrate (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on Aster tripolium in Britain and Aster linosyris, Aster
sedifolius and Aster tripolium elsewhere. Distribution in
Britain unknown. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Coleophora
linosyridella Fuchs, 1880 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].
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2c > Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: Tubular silke case, about 9 mm long, trivalved, with a mouth angle
of about 20° (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on Bellis perennis and Solidago virgaurea in Britain
and Aster amellus, Aster linosyris, Bellis perennis, Hieracium and Solidago virgaurea elsewhere. North Hants in Britain.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Coleophora
ramosella Zeller, 1849 [Lepidoptera:
Coleophoridae].
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2d > Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: A straw-coloured, slender, three-valved tubular silken case; length
about 10 mm, mouth angle 45° - 60°. Larva on the leaf underside.
Perhaps because of the plant's dense felt cover, the case is attached
with much silk, giving the holes a conspicuous white margin (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on Achillea millefolium, Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris,
Aster, Leucanthemum vulgare, Tanacetum vulgare and possibly Hieracium in Britain and Achillea millefolium, Artemisia
absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris, Leucanthemum vulgare, Tanacetum
vulgare elsewhere. Widespread in Britain although there aren't
many records. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Coleophora
trochilella (Duponchel, 1843) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].
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3a > Leaf-miner:
Rather long full depth corridor that winds freely through the leaf
and may cross itself. In the end the corridor widens considerably.
Frass mostly in a narrow central line, but may also be deposited
along the sides or be missing. The larvae regular leave a mine to
restart elsewhere. Pupation outside the mine. Neither larva or
mine can be distinguished from that of related species (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including
Aster, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain
and continental Europe.
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Apteropeda
orbiculata (Marsham, 1802) [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae].
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3b > Leaf-miner:
The
larva creates a narrow gallery containing black or brownish frass,
and subsequently one or more shorter mines or windows (UKMoths).
At
first a long, narrow, corridor with brown or black frass in a central
line; the mine may be upper- or lower-surface of even interparenchymatous,
and often enters the cortex of the stem. After some time this mine
is vacated and the larva starts making several short full depth
blotches. Some larvae keep this habit until short before pupation,
others soon begin window-feeding (Bladmineerders
van Europa). The larva pupates in a white ribbed cocoon and is illustrated in UKMoths.
Recorded
on Aster tripolium in Britain and elsewhere. A relatively
common species around the coastal saltings of England, Wales and
Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Bucculatrix
maritima Stainton, 1851 [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae].
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3c > Leaf-miner: In the first instar the larva mines the leaves, forming short,
irregular, blotch-like mines, but in later instars it lives externally,
feeding in spun leaves and often twisting those of tender shoots. Larval head light-brown or yellowish brown, edged with black postero-laterally,
ocellar area blackish; prothoracic plate black edged with whitish
anteriorly; abdomen dull dark green; pinacula distinct, black,
sometimes brownish but with black bases to setae; anal plate large,
black (Bradley et al., 1973).
Small,
full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk
is deposited in the mine. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues
feeding among spun leaves (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
Recorded
on numerous genera and species of plant families, but not yet
on Aster, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and
species of plant families including Aster elsewhere. Widespread
in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel
Is.
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Cnephasia
incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae].
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3d> Leaf-miner:
Rather narrow corridor, untidy and sometimes branched, starting
from the base of the leaf, in particular the midrib. Sides of the
corridor irregularly eaten out, not really parallel. Frass mostly
present, and then in a central line. The legless larva is capable of leaving the mine and start a new one elsewhere. These later mines are much broader, and the frass is scattered irregularly. (Bladmineerders
van Europa.
Host
plants unknown in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and
species in several plant families, including Aster, elsewhere.
Recorded in southern England. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Orthochaetes
insignis (Aube, 1863) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae].
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3e > Leaf-miner: Long, extremely narrow lower- or upper-surface corridor, with
a black or brown central frass line. After a while this primary
mine is vacated, and the larva starts making shorter, much broader,
full depth blotch mines. In the end the larva lives free among spun
leaves (Bladmineerders
van Europa).
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Recorded on ? Aster tripolium, ? Suaeda maritima in Britain and Salicornia europaea elsewhere. Found on saltings in England and Wales. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Scrobipalpa
salinella (Zeller, 1847) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae].
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3f > Leaf-miner: Larvae
in blotch-like mines. Most frass is ejected through a small opening
in the mine. Fresh mines are very difficult to find. The larvae
can leave their mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation external (Bladmineerders
van Europa) in a mud-covered cocoon on the ground (British
leafminers).
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Recorded
on ? Aster tripolium, ? Suaeda maritima in Britain
and Salicornia europaea elsewhere. Found on saltings
in England and Wales. Widespread in continental Europe.
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Scrobipalpa
instabilella (Douglas, 1846) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae]. |
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