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MEDICAGO. Medicks. [Fabaceae]
Thirty species of Medicago are recorded in Britain. These include the native Spotted Medick (M. arabica), Black Medick (M. lupulina), Bur Medick (M. minima), Toothed Medick (M. polymorpha), Sand Lucerne (M. sativa varia) and Sickle Medick (M. sativa falcata). Six dipterous miners, the agromyzids Agromyza frontella, Agromyza nana, Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza congesta and Ophiomyia curvipalpis and the drosophilid Scaptomyza graminum, are recorded or tentatively recorded on Medicago in Britain. The agromyzids Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae and Liriomyza trifolii, pest species of ornamental and vegetable crops occasionally intercepted at UK points of entry, are recorded on Medicago.	Black Medick - Medicago lupulina
Liriomyza huidobrensis and Liriomyza trifolii, have been found under glass in England and Wales. All populations have been and continue to be eradicated. Elsewhere the agromyzids Agromyza frontella, Agromyza nana, Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza congesta, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liromyza strigata, Liriomyza trifolii and possibly Ophiomyia curvipalpis, and the drosphilids Scaptomyza flava and Scaptomyza graminum are recorded mining Medicago. Two lepidopterous leaf-miners are recorded on Medicago in Britain (see below). Elsewhere two additional British non-dipterous miners are recorded on Medicago (see below).

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

1> A narrow, inconspicuous stem mine. Pupation at the end of the mine. Puparium yellowish or completely black, anterior spiracles projecting through epidermis. Ophiomyia curvipalpis (Zetterstedt) [Agromyzidae]. ->Leaf mine. 2. 2> Mine begins as a normally upper surface deep corridor and becomes a blotch lying centrally in the leaf, often touching the leaf petiole, if leaves are small larva may mine across the stem to another leaf. Pupation internal or external, sometimes in a separate pupation mine. Frass partly in grains or streaks but mainly in clumps towards margins of blotch. Scaptomyza graminum (Fallén) [Drosophilidae]. ->Initially a linear mine running towards apex of leaf which then turns back in the area of the mid-rib, developing into a blotch. Puparium reddish-brown Agromyza frontella (Rondani) [Agromyzidae]. ->A short narrow linear mine not associated with the margin, which then develops into a conspicuous white blotch centred on the mid-rib. At the end of feeding the larva lies for one or two days along the mid-rib. Pupation external. Puparium reddish Mines of Agromyza nana on Onobrychus viciifolia. Images: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Agromyza nana Meigen [Agromyzidae]. ->Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine, with the anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Puparium whitish Mine of Chromatomyia horticola on Papaver rhoeas. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) [Agromyzidae]. ->An upper surface linear mine with frass in conspicuous greenish strips, largely alternating at each side of the channel. Puparium yellow Vicia sepium Lathyrus pratensis Mines of Liriomyza congesta. Images: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Liriomyza congesta (Becker) [Agromyzidae].

Non-dipterous miners recorded on Medicago in Britain Aproaerema anthyllidella (Hübner, 1813) Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae     Phyllonorycter nigrescentella (Logan, 1851) Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae   Non-dipterous miners recorded on Medicago elsewhere Coleophora discordella Zeller, 1849 Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae Phyllonorycter insignitella (Zeller, 1846) Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae

Last updated 05-Aug-2008  Brian Pitkin

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