CHAMERION. Rosebay Willowherb. [Onagraceae]

Only one species of Chamerion, Rosebay Willowherb (C. angustifolium) is recorded in Britain.

No Diptera miners are recorded on Chamerion in Britain.

One non-Diptera leaf-miner, Mompha raschkiella, is recorded on Chamerion in Britain.

Elsewhere one additional British non-Diptera miner, Mompha langiella, is recorded on Chamerion (see below).

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Chamerion is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Mompha raschkiella and Mompha langiella but not Cnephasia stephensiana, Mompha epilobiella or Mompha sexstrigella.

Rosebay Willowherb
Chamerion aungustifolium

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

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: A narrow contorted gallery leading to a whitish blotch with scattered frass centrally. The early gallery can merge with the blotch and there are often several to a leaf (British leafminers). The larva begins by making a full depth corridor, erratic in width and course; frass black, in an irregular central line. Later the larva makes a blotch, with frass in irregular clouds. This blotch can be a continuation of the corridor, but may just as well be on a different leaf. Often several mines in a leaf; in such cases the entire leaf me be mined out. Mines white at first, turning brown later. The larva lies venter-upwards in the mine. Pupation external Bladmineerders van Europa). Occasionally in a mined leaf or in a cocoon between the leaves or on the leaves (British leafminers).

Recorded on Circaea and Epilobium, but not yet Chamerion, in Britain and Chamerion, Circaea and Epilobium elsewhere. Widespread in England and continental Europe.

Mompha langiella (Hübner, 1796) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]

1b > Leaf-miner: A narrow gallery, often following the midrib, occasionally tinged red at the edges. This leads to a yellowish blotch containing dispersed frass (British leafminers).

Recorded on Chamerion angustifolium in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain, Ireland and continental Europe.

Mompha raschkiella (Zeller, 1839) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]