HOME : Introduction : Methods : Miners : Parasitoids Host plants by Scientific name : Common name References : Web resources : Acknowledgements : Recent changes : Index : Search

EQUISETUM. Horsetails. [Equisetaceae]

Nine species of Equisetum are recorded in Britain. These include the native Field Horsetail (E. arvense), Water Horsetail (E. fluviatile), Rough Horsetail (E. hyemale), Marsh Horsetail (E. palustre), Shady Horsetail (E. pratense), Branched Horsetail (E. ramosissimum), Wood Horsetail (E. sylvaticum), Great Horsetail (E. telmateia) and Variegated Horsetail (E. variegatum). Branched Horsetail (E. ramosissimum) is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Three dipterous miners, the agromyzids Liriomyza equiseti, Liriomyza occipitalis and Liriomyza virgo, are recorded on Equisetum in Britain. Elsewhere the agromyzid Liriomyza demeijerei is recorded mining Equisetum. No non-dipterous miners are recorded on Equisetum in Britain.

Field Horsetail - Equisetum arvense.

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

1> Leaf mine. Larva mining the narrow branches, not the stem. Pupation external. Puparium brownish-black Liriomyza occipitalis Hendel [Agromyzidae]. -> Stem mine. 2. 2> Stem mine. Larva forms an external stem mine which quickly turns black. Pupation internal, puparium projecting out of mine. Puparium dark Liriomyza virgo (Zetterstedt) [Agromyzidae]. -> Stem mine. Larva mining the stem. Pupation external. Puparium brown Liriomyza equiseti Meijere [Agromyzidae].

Last updated 27-Feb-2008  Brian Pitkin

.