HYMENOCARPUS. Disk Trefoil. [Fabaceae]

Only one species of Hymenocarpus is recorded in Britain, the introduced Disk Trefoil (H. circinnatus).

No Diptera miners are recorded on Hymenocarpus in Britain.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Liriomyza cicerina, Liriomyza congesta and Liriomyza strigata are recorded mining Hymenocarpus.

No non-Diptera miners are recorded on Hymenocarpus in Britain.

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

A key to the European miners, based on characteristics of the mines, immature stages and where relevant the larval cases, recorded on Hymenocarpus is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. This includes Liriomyza cicerina, Liriomyza congesta, Liriomyza strigata, Aproaerema anthyllidella and Apterona helicoidella.

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

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).

1 > Leaf miner: The first generation initially forms an unmistakable leaf-mine on Anthyllis vulneraria, but the second generation feeds on the flowers. Feeding signs on other plants vary in appearance. Larvae can move between sewn leaves, and more than one larva may be found together (UKMoths). Larvae in a small full depth blotch, often with extensions. Frass concentrated in one corner of the mine. The mining activities may cause the leaf to roll inwards. Older larvae live free among spun leaves, but still they may make then full depth mines by feeding on the leaf tissue from a small opening (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Anthyllis, Medicago, Onobrychis, Ononis and Trifolium, but not yet on Hymenocarpus, in Britain and Anthyllis, Chamaecytisus, Coronilla, Cysisus, Dorycnium, Galega, Glycine, Hymenocarpus, Lathyrus , Lotus, Medicago, Melilotus, Onobrychis, Ononis, Ornithopus, Oxytropis, Phaseolus, Psoralea, Trifolium, Trigonella and Vicia elsewhere. Britain including the Channel Is. and Northern Ireland. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Aproaerema anthyllidella (Hübner, 1813) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae]