PLANTAGO. Plantains. [Plantaginaceae]

Twenty species of Plantago are recorded in Britain. These include the native Buck's-horn Plantain (P. coronopus), Ribwort Plantain (P. lanceolata), Greater Plantain (P. major), Sea Plantain (P. maritima) and Hoary Plantain (P. media) and the introduced Branched Plantain (P. arenaria).

Three Diptera miners, the agromyzids Chromatomyia horticola, Phytomyza griffithsi and Phytomyza plantaginis, are recorded on Plantago in Britain.

Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza strigata, Liriomyza trifolii, Phytomyza griffithsi and Phytomyza plantaginis are recorded mining Plantago.

Sixnon-Diptera miners are recorded on Plantago in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere one additional non-Diptera miner is recorded on Plantago (see below).

Key for the identification of British non-Diptera mines recorded on
Plantago

Note: The larvae of mining Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, a blotch mine, a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Larva may pupate in a silk cocoon. The larva may have at least six legs (although they may be reduced or absent), a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding). Larvae of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera usually also have abdominal legs (see examples). Frass, if present, never in two rows. Unless feeding externally from within a case the larva usually vacates the mine by chewing an exit hole. Pupa with visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

1a > Leaf-miner: Rather long corridor winding through the leaf, regularly crossing itself. The corridor later widens considerably. Frass normally in a narrow central line, but may also lie along the side, or be absent. The larva regularly leaves a mine and restarts elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa). Larva without abdominal legs.

Recorded on Lamiastrum galeobdolon and Lamium album, but not yet on Plantago, in Britain plus Ajuga reptans, Clinopodium vulgare, Lamium, Prunella, Stachys, Teucrium, Plantago major, Veronica, chamaedrys and Veronica longifolia elsewhere. Widespread in England and continental Europe.

Apteropeda globosa (Illiger, 1794) [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae].

1b > Leaf-miner: Rather long full depth corridor that winds freely through the leaf and may cross itself. In the end the corridor widens considerably. Frass mostly in a narrow central line, but may also be deposited along the sides or be missing. The larvae regular leave a mine to restart elsewhere. Pupation outside the mine. Neither larva or mine can be distinguished from that of related species (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Plantago, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

 

Apteropeda orbiculata (Marsham, 1802) [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae].

1c > Leaf-miner: Early mine a silvery gallery in lower epidermis. Subsequently a blotch on the upper epidermis. Internal spinning causes the leaf to pucker and often fold over the blotch, concealing it (British leafminers). The mine starts as a long, tortuous, lower-surface (rarely upper-surface) epidermal, silvery corridor. After a moult the larva works itself to the upper surface of the leaf and begins to make a blotch, soon a tentiform mine, astride the midrib. The mine contracts very strongly, causing the epidermis to develop strong folds, and the leaf to double, almost concealing the mine. Shortly before pupation the larva gnaws a window in the floor of the mine, leaving only the lower epidermis intact, as a preformed exit opening. Larvae that have hibernated generally leave their mine, and make a new tentiform mine elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa). Pupa in a white fusiform cocoon in the mine (British leafminers).

Recorded on Plantago lanceolata in Britain amd elsewhere. Widespread in Britain, Ireland and continental Europe.

 

Aspilapteryx tringipennella (Zeller, 1839) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae].

1d > Leaf-miner: In the first instar the larva mines the leaves, forming short, irregular, blotch-like mines, but in later instars it lives externally, feeding in spun leaves and often twisting those of tender shoots. Larval head light-brown or yellowish brown, edged with black postero-laterally, ocellar area blackish; prothoracic plate black edged with whitish anteriorly; abdomen dull dark green; pinacula distinct, black, sometimes brownish but with black bases to setae; anal plate large, black (Bradley et al., 1973). Small, full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk is deposited in the mine. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues feeding among spun leaves (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species of several plant families, including Plantago, in Britain.Recorded on numerous genera and species of several plant families, but not Plantago elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

 

Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae].

1e > Leaf-miner: The mine begins in the midrib, especially in a lower leaf, extending into the leaf disc, branching irregularly or pinnately, may also locally be blotch like. The mine is brown and very transparent. Sides very irregularly eaten out. Frass loosely dispersed or in a loose central line, buy may also be pressed against the sides of the corridor. The larva may also leave the mine and restart elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Plantago, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in England and continental Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.

Orthochaetes setiger (Beck, 1817) [Lepidoptera: Curculionidae].

1f > Leaf-miner: Larvae in blotch-like mines. Most frass is ejected through a small opening in the mine. Fresh mines are very difficult to find. The larvae can leave their mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation external (Bladmineerders van Europa) in a mud-covered cocoon on the ground (British leafminers).

Recorded on ? Aster tripolium, Atriplex portulacoides, ? Salicornia europaea, ? Plantago coronopus in Britain and Atriplex portulacoides and Atriplex halimus elsewhere. Found around the coasts of England. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Scrobipalpa instabilella (Douglas, 1846) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae].

1g > Leaf-miner: Feeding is in leaf blotches, spun shoots and roots. Wilting greyish leaves, or frass in the crown of the plant may indicate a larva in the roots (UKMoths). Young larvar make a short, very narrow gallery in the young leaves. Later they bore in the rhizome (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Plantago in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread, and often common, on saltings and hard-rock coasts of Britain. Widespread in Ireland and continental Europe.