HOME : Introduction : Methods : Miners : Parasitoids Host plants by Scientific name : Common name References : Web resources : Acknowledgements : Recent changes : Index : Search

MENTHA. Mints. [Lamiaceae]
Seven species of Mentha are recorded in Britain. These included the native Water Mint (M. aquatica), Corn Mint (M. arvensis), Pennyroyal (M. pulegium) and Round-leaved Mint (M. suaveolens). Pennyroyal (M. pulegium) is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 and in Northern Ireland under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order, 1985. Five dipterous miners, the agromyzids Amauromyza lamii, Chromatomyia horticola, Phytomyza obscura, Phytomyza petoei and Phytomyza tetrasticha, are recorded on Mentha in Britain. The agromyzid Napomyza scrophulariae is recorded feeding in both seed heads and stems of Digitalis pupurea and possibly Scrophularia nodosa, Verbascum and Mentha in Britain.	Water Mint - Mentha aquatica.
Elsewhere the agromyzids Amauromyza labiatarum, Amauromyza lamii, Phytomyza petoei and Phytomyza tetrasticha are recorded mining Mentha. One non-dipterous leaf-miner is recorded on Mentha in Britain (see below).

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

1> Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine. Puparium whitish, anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis. Mine of Chromatomyia horticola on Papaver rhoeas. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) [Agromyzidae]. -> Mine beginning with a small spiral, later developing into a greenish blotch, frequently at leaf margin, brown when old. Pupation internal or external. Puparium yellowish-brown in summer generation, deep black in winter generation Phytomyza tetrasticha Hendel [Agromyzidae]. -> Mine beginning with a small spiral, later developing into a greenish blotch, brown when old. Pupation frequently in mine Phytomyza obscura Hendel [Agromyzidae]. -> An irregularly linear mine which may become a secondary blotch. Pupation normally external, but not infrequently the puparium remains in the leaf at the prepared exit slit. Puparium yellowish-brown Phytomyza petoei Hering [Agromyzidae]. -> Initially a long, slim corridor, the frass alternating on either the side of the corridor. After moulting, the larva broadens the mine and the frass is less regular. Pupation external Mine of Amauromyza lamii on Stachys sylvatica. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Nederlandse bladmineerders) Amauromyza lamii (Kaltenbach, 1858) [Agromyzidae].

Non-dipterous miners recorded on Mentha in Britain Coleophora albitarsella Zeller, 1849 Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae

Last updated 05-Aug-2008  Brian Pitkin

.