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ASTER. Asters and Michaelmas-daisies. [Asteraceae]
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.	Michaelmas Daisy Aster tripolium
The agromyzids Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae and Liriomyza trifolii, pest species of ornamental and vegetable crops occasionally intercepted at UK points of entry, are recorded on Aster. Liriomyza huidobrensis and Liriomyza trifoli have been found under glass in England and Wales. All populations have been and continue to be eradicated. 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). Elsewhere two British non-Diptera miners 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 & 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.

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

1> Corridor mine following the mid-rib, with lateral offshoots. 2. -> Mine not primarily above midrib. 3. 2> Corridor mine following the mid-rib, with lateral offshoots. Puparium yellow Mine of Trypeta zoe on Artemisia vulgaris Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) On numerous genera of Asteraceae. Throughout the British Isles, more common in the south than the north. Also Europe. Trypeta zoe Meigen [Diptera: Tephritidae]. -> A distinctive mine primarily above mid-rib, with irregular short lateral offshoots into leaf blade. Pupation external. On more than 40 host genera in 15 families in Britain. Widespread throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and is widespread and common in Europe. Liriomyza strigata (Meigen) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. -> 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. Mine of Cornutrypeta spinifrons on Senecio ovalis Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) 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) [Diptera: Tephritidae]. 3> Pupation internal, at the end of the mine. 4. -> Pupation external. 5. 4> 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 Europe. Chromatomyia asteris (Hendel) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. -> Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine, with the anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Mines of Chromatomyia atricornis on Sonchus olearaceus Images: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) Two highly polyphagous species of Chromatomyia, with indistinguishable mines, have been recorded in Britain. These are syngenesiae (Hardy) and horticola (Goureau). British records of horticola and syngenesiae on Asteraceae hosts not based on examination of the genitalia of reared males are treated here as Chromatomyia 'atricornis'. Chromatomyia 'atricornis' auctt. [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. -> 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. Mine of Calycomyza humeralis on Aster tripolium Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) 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) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. 5> A linear mine commencing with a conspicuous regular spiral and then continuing a considerable distance more or less straight. Mine of Liriomyza eupatorii on Eupatorium cannabinum Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) On Aster, Eupatorium, Helianthus, Lapsana and Solidago [Asteraceae] and Galeopsis [Lamiaceae] in Britain and Europe. Widespread in England. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in Europe and recorded in Canada. Liriomyza eupatorii (Kaltenbach) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. -> An irregular linear mine, which in small leaves can form a secondary blotch. Puparium orange Bellis perennis Solidago gigantea Mines of Liriomyza pusilla Images: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) 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 Europe. Liriomyza pusilla (Meigen) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. -> 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 Mine of Pegomya nigrisquama Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers) 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 Europe. Pegomya nigrisquama (Stein) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae].

Non-Diptera miners recorded on Aster in Britain Apteropeda orbiculata (Marsham, 1802) [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae]   Leaf-mine: 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 nor mine can be distinguished from that of related species (Bladmineerders van Europa). Mine of Apteropeda orbiculata on Plantago major Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) More..   Bucculatrix maritima Stainton, 1851 [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae]   Leaf-mine: 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). Mine of Bucculatrix maritima on Aster tripoloium Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers) The mine is also described and illustrated in British leafminers. More..   Coleophora linosyridella Fuchs, 1880 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]   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). More..   Coleophora trochilella (Duponchel, 1843) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]   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). Case of Coleophora trochilella on Artemisia vulgaris Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) More..   Scrobipalpa instabilella (Douglas, 1846) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae]   Leaf-mine: The mine on Sea purslane can look inflated and the frass is emptied by a round hole in the leaf. The food plant leaves can be spun together (British leafminers). 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). Mine of Scrobipalpa instabilella on Atriplex portulacoides Image: Rob Edmunds (Bladmineerders van Europa) More..   Scrobipalpa salinella (Zeller, 1847) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae] Leaf-mine: 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). More..   Additional non-Diptera miners recorded on Aster elsewhere Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]   Leaf-mine: 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 (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). More..   Orthochaetes insignis (Aube, 1863) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]   Leaf-mine: 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 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. More..

Last updated 11-Aug-2010  Brian Pitkin

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