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HERACLEUM. Hogweeds. [Apiaceae]
Three species of Heracleum are recorded in Britain. These include the native Hogweed (H. sphondylium) and Giant Hogweed (H. mantegazzianum). Seven dipterous miners, the agromyzids Ophiomyia heracleivora, Phytomyza heracleana, Phytomyza pastinacae, Phytomyza sphondyliivora and Phytomyza spondylii, and the tephritids Cryptaciura rotundiventris and Euleia heraclei are recorded on Heracleum in Britain, although those of Cryptaciura rotundiventris require comfirmation. British records of Pegomya solennis (= versicolor) on Heracleum are discounted by Griffiths (1982) as probable misidentifications of the tephritid Euleia heraclei. The agromyzid Melanagromyza angeliciphaga is recorded boring stems of Heracleum and other Apiaceae in Britain and elsewhere.	Hogweed - Heracleum sphondylium.
Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Liriomyza lutea, Liriomyza strigata, Phytomyza angelicae, Phytomyza heracleana, Phytomyza pastinacae, Phytomyza spondyli, Phytomyza sphondyliivora and Ophiomyia heracleivora and the tephritid Euleia heraclei are recorded mining Heracleum. Elsewhere the agromyzid Liriomyza lutea is recorded feeding in the seed heads of Heracleum. Elsewhere the agromyzid Melanagromyza limata is recorded on Heracleum, but its life-style is unknown. Elsewhere the agromyzid Napomyza carotae is recorded on Apium. In larval transfer experiments in Switzerland found that the larvae of Napomyza carotae developed normally in Apium, Heracleum, Pastinaca and Petroselinum. One non-dipterous leaf-miner is recorded on Heracleum in Britain (see below).

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

#> Details of mine unknown. Pupation external. Puparium yellow Cryptaciura rotundiventris (Fallén) [Tephritidae]. 1> Stem mine. An external mine on stem or leaf stalk. Pupation either at leaf base or beneath epidermis of main stem. Ophiomyia heracleivora Spencer [Agromyzidae]. -> Leaf mine. 2. 2> Interparenchymal mine. 3. -> Mine not interparenchymal. 4. 3> A regular greenish inter-parenchymal blotch mine, frequently delimited by two veins, appearing somewhat mottled as a result of small deeper areas of feeding through the upper parenchyma. Puparium black. Mines of Phytomyza heracleana on Heracleum. Images: Brian Pitkin Phytomyza heracleana Hering [Agromyzidae]. -> Mine inter-parenchymal, greenish-yellow, not always readily visible, an irregular linear-blotch. Phytomyza sphondyliivora Spencer [Agromyzidae]. 4> Blotch mine. Puparium yellow. Mine of Euleia heraclei on Heracleum. Image: Brian Pitkin Euleia heraclei (Linnaeus) [Tephritidae] -> Corridor mine. 5. 5> A conspicuous, whitish linear mine. Pupation external. Mines of Phytomyza sp. on Heracleum spondylium Mines of Phytomyza sp. on Heracleum spondylium Mine of Phytomyza sp. on Heracleum spondylium Mines of Phytomyza sp. on Heracleum spondylium Images of the same leaf taken four days apart Phytomyza spondylii Robineau-Desvoidy [Agromyzidae]. OR Phytomyza pastinacae Hendel [Agromyzidae].

Non-dipterous miners recorded on Heracleum in Britain Epermenia chaerophyllella (Goeze, 1783) Lepidoptera: Epermeniidae

Last updated 20-Oct-2008  Brian Pitkin

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