The leaf and stem  mines of British flies and other insects by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds


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MATTHIOLA. Stocks. [Brassicaceae]


Five species of Matthiola are recorded in Britain. These include the native Hoary Stock (M. incana) and Biennial Sea Stock (M. sinuata) and the introduced Nght-scented Stock (M. longipetala) and Sad Stock (M. fruticulosa).

Only one dipterous miner, the polyphagous drosophilid Scaptomyza flava, is recorded on Matthiola in Britain.

The agromyzid Liriomyza huidobrensis, a polyphagous pest species of ornamental and vegetable crops occasionally intercepted at UK points of entry, is recorded on Matthiola and has beenfound under glass in England and Wales. All populations have been and continue to be eradicated.

Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Liriomyza strigata and Liriomyza huidobrensis and the drosophilid Scaptomyza flava are recorded mining Matthiola.

No non-dipterous miners are recorded on Matthiola in Britain.




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




1> Corridor-blotch leaf-mine, normally dorsal; usually whitish; in small leaves it lies characteristically in the centre of the leaf often touching the petiole; in larger leaves it lies to one side of the mid-rib. Frass deposited in green clumps near the leaf margin. Pupation usually external, sometimes in a separate pupation mine.

Mine of Scaptomyza flava on Brassica rapa. Image: Willem EllisMine of Scaptomyza flava on Brassica rapa. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders)
Mine of Scaptomyza flava on Brassica rapa.
Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders)

Scaptomyza flava (Fallén) [Drosophilidae].


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Last updated 30-Jul-2008  Brian Pitkin

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