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CHENOPODIUM. Fat-hen, Good-King-Henry & Goosefoots. [Chenopodiaceae]

Fifty species of Chenopodium are recorded in Britain. These include the native Fat-hen (C. album), Fig-leaved Goosefoot (C. ficifolium), Many-seeded Goosefoot (C. polyspermum), Maple-leaved Goosefoot (C. hybridum), Nettle-leaved Goosefoot (C. murale), Red Goosefoot (C. rubrum), Saltmarsh Goosefoot (C. chenopodioides), Stinking Goosefoot (C. vulvaria) and Upright Goosefoot (C. urbicum). Stinking Goosefoot (C. vulvaria) is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Seven dipterous miners, the agromyzids Amauromyza chenopodivora and Chromatomyia horticola and the anthomyiids Botanophila depressa, Delia echinata, Pegomya conformis, Pegomya hyoscyami and Pegomya interuptella are recorded on Chenopodium in Britain. 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 Chenopodium. Liriomyza huidobrensis and Liriomyza trifolii have been found under glass in England and Wales. All populations have been and continue to be eradicated. Elsewhere the agromyzids Amauromyza chenopodivora and Amauromyza flavifrons and Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae and Liriomyza trifolii; and the drosophilid Scaptomyza graminum and the anthomyiids Delia echinata, Pegomya betae, Pegomya conformis, Pegomya hyoscyami and Pegomya interuptella are recorded mining Chenopodium. Although previously recorded as a miner in stems of Chenopodium. Botanophila fugax is a common saprophagous species, the larvae normally feeding in the soil (G.C.D. Griffiths, pers. comm.). Five non-dipterous miners are recorded on Chenopodium in Britain (see below).

Key for the identification of the known Diptera mines in Britain.

#> Details of mine unknown. Pegomya conformis (Fallén) [Anthomyiidae]. #> Details of mine unknown. Pegomya interuptella (Zetterstedt) [Anthomyiidae]. #> Details of mine unknown. Botanophila depressa (Zetterstedt) [Anthomyiidae]. 1> Leaf and stem mine. 2. -> Leaf mine. 3. 2> Leaf and stem mine. Apart from mining leaves the stems are excavated. Oviposition takes place on the tips of shoots. The larva at first mines strip-like full depth corridors in the apical leaves, going then into the stem, which it hollows out, so that it becomes translucent. It then searches out leaves further down in which initially it mines depositing frass in strips, but then in blotches. The corridors often lie in one half of the leaf and can be branched. In the blotches the frass is irregularly scattered. Pupation is in the hollow stem or in the ground. Delia echinata (Séguy) [Anthomyiidae]. -> Oviposition can take place in the leaf, where a short mine is formed. The young larva feeds towards the mid-rib and down into the stem. Alternatively a true mine can be formed in the stem before the larva burrows deeper into the pith. Pupation external. Puparium yellow Amauromyza (Cephalomyza) chenopodivora Spencer [Agromyzidae]. 3> Large blotch mine, often with several larvae, beginning with a short deeper corridor at a single egg shell on the surface of the leaf. The broad deep corridor later ends in a blotch but can be recognised (beneath the blotch) by its greater depth. Mine predominantly dorsal or ventral, greenish in transmitted light. Frass grains irregularly scattered except in the initial corridor. Mine of Pegomya hyoscyami on Atropa belladonna. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Pegomya hyoscyami (Panzer) [Anthomyiidae]. -> Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine. Puparium whitish, anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Mine of Chromatomyia horticola on Papaver rhoeas. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) [Agromyzidae].

Non-dipterous miners recorded on Chenopodium in Britain Chrysoesthia drurella (Fabricius, 1775) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae Chrysoesthia sexguttella (Thunberg, 1794) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae Coleophora saxicolella (Duponchel, 1843) Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae   Scrobipalpa atriplicella (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1841) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae     Scrobipalpa nitentella (Fuchs, 1902) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae

Last updated 10-Sep-2008  Brian Pitkin

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