EPILOBIUM. Willowherbs. [Onagraceae]

Sixteen species of Epilobium are recorded in Britain, ten of which are native including Broad-leaved Willowherb (E. montanum) and Great Willowherb (E. hirsutum).

No Diptera miners have been recorded from Epilobium in Britain.

Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzid Liriomyza strigata has been recorded mining Epilobium.

Five non-Diptera miners are recorded on Epilobium in Britain.

Elsewhere one additional British non-Diptera miner is recorded on Epilobium (see below).

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Epilobium is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Mompha langiella, Mompha locupletella, Mompha ochraceella, Mompha propinquella, Mompha lacteella but not Cnephasia incertana, Liriomyza strigata or Mompha epilobiella.

Great Willowherb
Epilobium hirsutum

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

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 and bark mine: Mining the stems and later the leaves (UKMoths). The larva lives as a bark miner in late summer and autumn. It descends into the rootstock for hibernation. After hibernation large, lower surface blotch mines are made in the lower leaves, from a gallery in the bark. They start in the base of the leaf, and are centered over the midrib. The mine contains hardly any frass. The larva can make several mines. Sometimes several larvae in a mine. Pupation in the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Occurs widely throughout much of Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Mompha ochraceella (Curtis, 1839) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae].

1b > 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 Epilobium, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species of plant families including Epilobium elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae].

1c > Leaf-miner: The larvae feed mainly on Broad-leaved Willowherb mining the leaves (UKMoths). Large full depth blotch in the lower leaves. Much frass in coarse grains. The larva easily leaves its mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation either in the mine or in the ground. Mines cannot be told apart from those of Mompha propinquella (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Distributed locally in England and Scotland. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Mompha lacteella (Stephens, 1834) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae].

1d > 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).

Recorded on Circaea and Epilobium in Britain and Chamerion, Circaea and Epilobium elsewhere. Widespread in England and continental Europe.

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

1e > Leaf-miner: The mine is a whitish blotch with scattered blackish frass (UKMoths), usually low on the plant (British leafminers). Oviposition on the basal part of the midrib. The young larva makes a number of short corridors radiating from this point, either in the same leaf, or on different ones; they have a central frassline, but their final sections are free of frass. Later an elongate blotch is make, also beginning on the midrib (although not necessarily its basal part). Pupation external (Bladmineerders van Europa). Pupation in a white cocoon, which is attached to vegetation or leaf litter (British leafminers).

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

Mompha locupletella (Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae].

1f > Leaf-miner: Large full depth blotch in the lower leaves; much frass in coarse grains. The larva can make several mines. Pupation either in the mine or in the ground. Mines cannot be distinguished from those of Mompha lacteella (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and conntinental Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Mompha propinquella (Stainton, 1851) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae].

1g > Leaf-miner: Early mines are spiral galleries; later forms pale blotches, sometimes having moved to a different leaf (British leafminers). Egg at the upperside of the leaf, not near the midrib. The larva starts by making a long, narrow, full depth corridor that is strongly spiraled or even lies in intestine-like loops. Frass as fine grains, distributed, later in a central line. After a while a new mine is made, either a continuation of the corridor or, more often, in a new leaf. This new mine begins as a narrow corridor but soon widens into a large blotch; here the fass lies in a broad band. The larva lies venter-upwards in the mine. Pupation external (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Circaea and Epilobium in Britain and Circaea elsewhere. Widespread in Britain. Also recorded in Northern Ireland and continental Europe.

Mompha terminella (Humphreys and Westwood, 1845) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae].