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MONTIA. Blinks. [Portulacaceae]

Two species of Montia are recorded in Britain. These include the native Blinks (M. fontana) and the introduced Small-leaved Blinks (M. parvifolia). Only one dipterous miner, the drosophilid Scaptomyza graminum, is recorded on Montia but it is unclear whether this record is British. No non-dipterous miners are recorded on Montia in Britain.

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

1> Corridor-blotch mine. 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].

Last updated 24-Aug-2007  Brian Pitkin

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