EUPATORIUM. Hemp-agrimony [Asteraceae]


Hemp-agrimony (E. cannabinum) is the only species of Eupatorium recorded in Britain.

Nine Diptera miners, the agromyzids Calycomyza artemisiae, Chromatomyia 'atricornis', Liriomyza eupatoriana, Liriomyza eupatorii, Liriomyza strigata and Phytomyza eupatorii and the tephritids Stemonocera cornuta, Trypeta artemisiae and Trypeta zoe are recorded on Eupatorium in Britain.

The agromyzid Melanagromyza eupatorii is recorded boring the stems of Eupatorium in Britain and elsewhere.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Calycomyza artemisiae, Chromatomyia 'atricornis', Liriomyza eupatoriana, Liriomyza eupatorii, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza strigata, Liriomyza trifolii and Phytomyza eupatorii and the tephritids Stemonocera cornuta and Trypeta zoe are recorded mining Eupatorium.

Hemp Agrimony - Eupatorium cannibinum Image:  Brian Pitkin
Hemp Agrimony
Eupatorium cannibinum


Three non-Diptera miners are recorded on Eupatorium in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere one additional British miner is recorded on Eupatorium (see below).

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Eupatorium is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Calycomyza artemisiae, Chromatomyia cf. syngenesiae, Liriomyza eupatoriana, Liriomyza eupatorii, Liriomyza strigata, Phytomyza eupatorii, Stemonocera cornuta, Trypeta zoe, Coleophora conyzae, Coleophora follicularis, Coleophora inulae and Digitivalva pulicariae but not Amauromyza gyrans, Phytosciara macrotricha, Trypeta artemisiae.




Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Eupatorium




Note: Diptera larvae may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, or a blotch mine, but never in a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Pupation never in a cocoon. All mining Diptera larvae are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall. The larvae lie on their sides within the mine and use their pick-like mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. In some corridor miners frass may lie in two rows on alternate sides of the mine. In order to vacate the mine the fully grown larva cuts an exit slit, which is usually semi-circular (see Liriomyza huidobrensis video). The pupa is formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

1a > Blotch mine.

2

1b > Corridor mine.

3

2a > Leaf-miner: A whitish-greenish blotch. Pupation external, on the ground (Spencer, 1972: 43, fig. 140; Spencer, 1976: 306-7, fig. 552). A chacteristically pale whitish, usually upper-surface, primary blotch. There is an initial corridor, but traces of it are almost always overrun by the later blotch. The mine is quite opaque; only by opening it can it be ascertained if the mine is still occupied. No feeding lines are apparent. Unlike other blotch mines thay may occur here, Calycomyza mines are totally flat. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). A whitish blotch mine occuring on the upper leaf surface. Starts with a short corridor and does not show feeding lines. Superficially similar to the lepidopterous mine made by Leucospilapteryx omissella, but the latter mine turns purple as it ages (British leafminers).

On Artemisia and Eupatorium in Britain and additional Asteraceae elsewhere. Widespread in England and Continental Europe. Also recorded in China, Japan, Colombia and Canada.

Calycomyza artemisiae (Kaltenbach, 1856) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2b > Blotch mine. Pupation external. Puparium yellow

On Eupatorium in Britain and additional genera of Asteraceae elsewhere. England, as far north as York, and Wales. Widespread in continental Europe. Also recorded in the East Palaearctic.

Stemonocera cornuta (Scopoli, 1772) [Diptera: Tephritidae].

2c > Blotch mine. Pupation external. Puparium yellow

On numerous genera of Asteraceae, including Eupatorium, in Britain and elsewhere. In Britain more common in the north than in the south. Also throughout the Palaearctic Region except the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern areas.

Trypeta artemisiae (Fabricius, 1794) [Diptera: Tephritidae].

2d > Mine filling apex of leaf segment, with short final section extending further into leaf. Pupation normally in leaf at end of mine.

Mine of Liriomyza eupatoriana on Eupatorium cannabinum Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)
Mine of Liriomyza eupatoriana on Eupatorium cannabinum
Image: Rob Edmunds (British leafminers)

On Eupatorium in Britain and elsewhere. Uncommon in Britain - Wilts and Cambridge. Widespread in continental Europe

Liriomyza eupatoriana Spencer, 1954 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

3a > Mine primarily associated with the mid-rib.

4

3b > Mine not primarily associated with the mid-rib.

5

4a > Corridor mine following the mid-rib, with lateral offshoots. Puparium yellow

On numerous genera of Asteraceae, including Eupatorium in Britain. Throughout the British Isles, more common in the south than the north. Also continental Europe.

Trypeta zoe Meigen, 1826 [Diptera: Tephritidae].

4b > Leaf-miner: A distinctive mine primarily above mid-rib, with irregular short lateral offshoots into leaf blade. Pupation external (Spencer, 1972: 51 (fig. 172), 55; Spencer, 1976: 270, 271 (fig. 486)). Branched, whitish, upper-surface corridor; main axis overlying the midrib; side branches overlying the main lateral veins. (In Campanula and Phyteuma the mine is much less branched, sometimes nothing more than a corridor on top of the midrib). Frass in rather long strings. Usually the mines begins as a long and narrow, shallow, tortuous lower-surface corridor that ends upon the midrib but otherwise is not associated with the leaf venation. Often this initial corridor is filled with callus, and then even less conspicuous. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). A linear mine on the upper surface, usually following the midrib and showing side branches along the veins. The frass is in strings (British leafminers).

On more than 40 host genera in 15 families in Britain including Eupatorium. Widespread throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Liriomyza strigata (Meigen, 1830) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

5a > Leaf-miner: Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine with the anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis (Spencer, 1976: 433). Upper-surface, less often lower-surface corridor. Frass in isolated grains. Pupation within the mine, in a, usually lower-surface, pupal chamber (Bladmineerders van Europa). A long whitish upper surface corridor, which eventually goes lower surface (British leafminers).

Two highly polyphagous species of Chromatomyia, with indistinguishable mines, have been recorded in Britain. These are syngenesiae (Hardy) and horticola (Goureau) which can only be distinguished by the male genitalia. Both are polyphagous and widespread in Britain and elsewhere, although syngenesiae is almost entirely restricted to Asteraceae (see also 'atricornis').

Chromatomyia 'atricornis' has been recorded on Eupatorium in Britain.

Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau, 1851) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
OR
Chromatomyia syngenesiae Hardy, 1849 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

5b > A linear mine commencing with a conspicuous regular spiral and then continuing a considerable distance more or less straight.

On Aster, Eupatorium, Helianthus, Lapsana and Solidago [Asteraceae] and Galeopsis [Lamiaceae] in Britain and continental Europe. Widespread in England. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe and recorded in Canada.

Liriomyza eupatorii (Kaltenbach, 1873) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

5c > Mine long, linear, upper or lower surface, often adjoining a vein. Puparium black

On Eupatorium in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Phytomyza eupatorii Hendel, 1927 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].



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

 

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 > Miner and case bearer. The larva lives outside the mine, protected by a case, and feeds on the underlying plant tisses via a hole cut in the epidermis. Mine does not contain frass (Coleophora species)

2

1b > Miner, but not a case-bearer, although it may live sandwiched between two more or less circular sections cut from the leaf in later instars e.g. Incurvaria species. The larva lives mainly inside the mine. Mine usually contains frass

3

2a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva makes at least two cases and leaves the empty case by the cut out leaf section. The early cases are compressed with keels, dorsally and laterally. Later cases are more tubular and hairy (from the hairy leaves, used to make the case) (British leafminers). Larva in a spathulate leaf case. It is 10-12 mm long, straght, brown, tubular, patently hairy (depending on the hostplant), bivalved. The mouth angle is rather variable, usually around 45°. An unusual character of this species is that after each moult the larva makes a new case; the old, vacated case is left at the place where the new one is made, at the leaf margin (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Eupatorium, Inula and Pulicaria in Britain and elsewhere. Mainly distributed in southern England and Wales. A colony has also been located in York, so it may occur elsewhere. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Coleophora conyzae Zeller, 1868 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

2b > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Larva mines leaves. On Eupatorium the case is extended at the anal end by adding silk and widened by cutting a ventral gusset. On Inula the case is firstly extended by adding rings of leaf-cuticle at the oral end, before reverting to the method used when on Eupatorium. The full-grown case is 10 mm long (British leafminers). A slender tubular silken case, about 10 mm long, straw coloured, three valved. Mouth angle about 30° (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Cirsium, Eupatorium, Inula and Pulicaria in Britain and Achillea, Anthemis, Carduus, Cirsium, Eupatorium, Inula, Leucanthemum, Pulicaria and Tanacetum elsewhere. Widespread in England. Also recorded in Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Coleophora follicularis (Vallot, 1802) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

2c > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva builds a 'pistol case' (UKMoths). The mature case is around 15mm long with a slightly swollen middle region, being palest at the anal end (British leafminers). Larva in a slender tubular silken case. The case is about 15 mm long, yellow-grey, and trivalved. The mouth angle is about 0°-10°, causing the case to lie flat on the leaf (Bladmineerders van Europa).

 

Recorded on Inula and Pulicaria, but not yet on Eupatorium, in Britain and Eupatorium, Inula and Pulicaria elsewhere. A scarce and very local species which has a small number of tiny colonies in the south of England, principally in Hants and the Isle of Wight. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Coleophora inulae Wocke, 1877 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

 

3a > Leaf-miner: The larva mines the leaves, forming brownish or whitish inflated blotches (UKMoths). Whitish or brownish full depth blotch, preceded by a short corridor that originates on the midrib or in the leaf base. Frass grains irregularly dispersed; part of the frass is ejected from the mine. The larva makes several mines. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Inula and Pulicaria, but not yet on Eupatorium, in Britain and elsewhere. Locally distributed, occurring from southern England northwards to Northumberland and west to Wales. Also recorded in Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Digitivalva pulicariae (Klimesch, 1956) [Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae].


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