LONICERA. Honeysuckles. [Caprifoliaceae]

Eighteen species of Lonicera are recorded from Britain. These include the native Honeysuckle (L. periclymenum) and Fly Honeysuckle (L. xylosteum).

Six Diptera miners, the agromyzids Aulagromyza cornigera, Aulagromyza hendeliana, Aulagromyza luteoscutellata, Chromatomyia aprilina, Chromatomyia lonicerae and Chromatomyia periclymeni are recorded on Lonicera and Symphoricarpos in Britain.

A single key is provided to the Diptera mines of the miners on Caprifoliaceae.

The tephritid Philophylla caesio is tentatively recorded on Lonicera in Britain. It is recorded as a petiole miner on Urtica elsewhere.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Aulagromyza cornigera, Aulagromyza hendeliana, Aulagromyza luteoscutellata, Chromatomyia aprilina, Chromatomyia lonicerae and Chromatomyia periclymeni are recorded mining Lonicera.

Five non-Diptera miners are recorded on Lonicera in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere two additional British non-Diptera miners are recorded on Lonicera (see below).

N.B. The key to the mines below includes mines recorded on Lonicera, Leycesteria and Symphoricarpos (Caprifoliaceae).

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

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-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)

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

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2a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Lobe case. The full grown case is about 7 mm long. The mouth angle is 0°, causing the case to lie flat on the leaf. The case is gradually enlarged by the addition of rings that are cut out of the epidermis. The rings become gradually larger, and stick irregularly out of the contour of the case. The rings are cut out of the lower epidermis of the mine. This implies that mines may have both normal, small openings, and large ones. Compare for instance C. violacea, that cuts rings out of the upper epidermis (Bladmineerders van Europa). The larva feeds briefly initially and again after over wintering. It then aestivates until Autumn. It makes one case which it enlarges by adding pieces of excised lower epidermis (British leafminers).

Recorded on Cornus, Frangula, Lonicera, Rhamnus, Symphoricarpos and Viburnum in Britain and Cornus, Frangula, Lonicera, Rhamnus, Swida, Symphoricarpos and Viburnum elsewhere. Southern England. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Coleophora ahenella Heinemann, 1877 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

2b > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva feeds on a wide range of trees, shrubs and herbs, favouring Rosaceae, but not exclusively. The fully developed cased larva may be found active in October and again, after winter diapause, in April. Cases, about 6 mm, of diapausing larvae may be found through winter, fixed to a tree or fence post. The dorsal surface of the case is usually covered in leaf fragments, but they can sometimes be worn off almost smooth. The ventral surface is swollen at the middle and has a keel, which usually bends upwards at the posterior. The cases of C. ahenella (on Rhamnus, Frangula, Viburnum and Cornus) and C. potentillae (case less swollen, keel not bent up, resting position less prone) are very similar (UKMoths). Brownish lobe case that lies almost flat on the leaf, either on the upper or on the lower side. Case widest about the middle. Ventrally there is a distinct keel. Mouth angle 0°. Full depth mines rather large. The flaps of cuticular tissue that serve to enlarge the case are cut out of the upper epidermis. (contrary to C. ahenella and C. potentillae, that use tissue from the lower epidermis). The removal of these tissue flaps creates holes that are much larger than those that serve as the entrance to the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, but not yet on Lonicera, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Lonicera, elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Coleophora violaceae (Ström 1783) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

Recorded on Lonicera in Britain and elsewhere. Fairly common throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Alucita hexadactyla Linnaeus, 1758 [Lepidoptera: Alucitidae].

3b > 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 several plant families, including Lonicera, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

 

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

3c > Leaf-miner: Forms a large transparent blotch mine - with a central spot, where the frass collects. This spot is usually red-brown (British leafminers). Brownish, full depth, inflated blotch, usually at the leaf margin, often with a central brown spot. Oviposition at the leaf underside. Often 2-3 larvae in a mine. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa). Pupation on the bark in a cocoon (British leafminers).

Recorded on Lonicera in Britain and Lonicera and Symphoricarpos elsewhere. Widespread in southern England and Wales. Widespread in continental Europe.

Perittia obscurepunctella (Stainton, 1848) [Lepidoptera: Elachistidae].

3d > Leaf-miner: The mine is large, occupying most of leaf. The lower epidermis with several strong creases (British leafminers). Lower-surface, white, inflated tentiform mine, that may occupy the entire leaf. The mine causes the leaf to roll lengthwise (the folds in the lower epidermis run from leaf base to tip). Pupa in a tough, papery cocoon; in fresh mines its colour is olive green, later it changes into pale brown (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Leycesteria, Lonicera and Symphoricarpos in Britain and Lonicera and Symphoricarpos elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Phyllonorycter emberizaepennella (Bouche, 1834) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae].

3e > Leaf-miner: The mine is usually underside, often twisting leaf into a cone (British leafminers). The mines can be quite abundant where it is found (UKMoths). Lower surface tentiform mine between leaf margin and midrib; the mine contracts diagonally, causing the leaf to roll transversely or into a pepper box (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Leycesteria, Lonicera and Symphoricarpos in Britain and Lonicera and Symphoricarpos elsewhere. Widespread in Britain, Ireland and continental Europe.