The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects
 

(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)

by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds

 

MYRRHIS. Sweet cicely. [Apiaceae]


Only one species of Myrrhis is recorded in Britain, Sweet Cicely (M. odorata). It is introduced.

Only one British miner is recorded on Myrrhis.

A key to the European miners recorded on Myrrhis is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa.


Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Myrrhis


1 > Leaf-miner: A short, narrow, linear mine, generally closely following margin of leaf segment; in very small sections of a leaf producing a secondary blotch (Spencer, 1972b: 89 (fig. 302), 92; Spencer, 1976: 401 (fig. 702), 402).

Upper-surface corridor, in the end widening so strongly that within the limited space of an umbelliferous leaf often a secondary blotch is the result. The upper-surface mine is preceded by a short lower-surface corridor, made by the first instar larva during the first part of this stage (Allen, 1956a). It is difficult to observe, also because it tends to follow the leaf margin. Frass in two untidy rows of isolated grains. Before pupation the larva leaves the mine through a semicircular exit slit in the lower epidermis.

A narrow mine, follows leaf marginand forms secondary blotches.

Phytomyza chaerophylli puparium
Phytomyza chaerophylli puparium
Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

On Anthriscus, Chaerophyllum, Conopodium, Daucus, Torilis and ? Sison, but not yet on Myrrhis, in Britain and additional Apiaceae elsewhere. Common and widespread throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and widespread and common throughout much of Europe.

Phytomyza chaerophylli Kaltenbach, 1856 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].



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