PRUNELLA. Selfheal. [Lamiaceae]

Three species of Prunella are recorded in Britain. These include the native Selfheal (P. vulgaris).

One Diptera miner, Amauromyza labiatarum, is recorded on Prunella in Britain.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Amauromyza labiatarum and Ophiomyia labiatarum recorded mining Prunella.

Two non-Diptera miners are recorded on Prunella in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere three British non-Diptera miners are recorded on Prunella (see below).

Note: Diptera larvae may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, or a blotch mine, but never in a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Pupation never in a cocoon. All mining Diptera larvae are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall. The larvae lie on their sides within the mine and use their pick-like mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. In some corridor miners frass may lie in two rows on alternate sides of the mine. In order to vacate the mine the fully grown larva cuts an exit slit, which is usually semi-circular (see Liriomyza huidobrensis video). The pupa is formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

1 > Stem mine. A shallow, inconspicuous external stem mine. Pupation in stem near a node. Puparium whitish-grey

On Clinopodium, Galeopsis, Lamium and Stachys, but not yet on Prunella, in Britain and Calamintha, Galeopsis, Lamium, Nepeta, Prunella, Satureja and Stachys elsewhere. Widespread in Britain including Surrey, Oxford, Hunts, Warwick, Suffolk and Perth. Widespread in continental Europe. Also recorded from the East Palaearctic.

Ophiomyia labiatarum Hering, 1937 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

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

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 and case bearer: The larva lives outside the mine, protected by a case, and feeds on the underlying plant tisses via a hole cut in the epidermis. Mine does not contain frass (Coleophora species)

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1b > Leaf-miner, but not a case-bearer: The larva lives mainly inside the mine. Mine usually contains frass. In later instars the larva may live sandwiched between two more or less circular sections cut from the leaf e.g. Incurvaria species.

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2 > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Blotch mines reaching the edge of the leaf, initially pale green turning brownish white, are caused by the larva feeding on the underside of a leaf (UKMoths). The fully developed case is slender, shining black brown, about 9 mm long. Towards the end a narrow, transparent yellowish ventral keel. Mouth angle 50-60°. Cases on the leaf underside (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Calamintha, Clinopodium, Glechoma, ? Lycopus, Mentha, Nepeta, Origanum, Prunella, Salvia, Stachys and Thymus in Britain plus Melissa, Melittis and Satureja but not Calamintha elsewhere. Throughout England and Wales and a few places in Scotland. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Coleophora albitarsella Zeller, 1849 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

3a > 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 Prunella, 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].

3b > 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, but not yet on Prunella, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Prunella, elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

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

3c > Leaf-miner: Rather narrow corridor, untidy and sometimes branched, starting from the base of the leaf, in particular the midrib. Sides of the corridor irregularly eaten out, not really parallel. Frass mostly present, and then in a central line. The legless larva is capable of leaving the mine and start a new one elsewhere. These later mines are much broader, and the frass is scattered irregularly. (Bladmineerders van Europa.

Host plants unknown in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Prunella elsewhere. Recorded in southern England. Widespread in continental Europe.

 

Orthochaetes insignis (Aube, 1863) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae].

3d > Leaf-miner: Egg at the upperside of the leaf. The mine is an extremely long corridor, often following the midrib or the leaf margin, with frass in a narrow central line, widening in te end into an irregular elongate blotch. Corridor sides somehwat irregularly scalloped out, especially towards the end. The larva may move, all the while mining, to another, even a third, leaf by way of the petioles and stem. Therefore one leaf may have only a narrow corridor, another a blotch. Pupation external. Mines mainly in the lowest leaves, difficult to find (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Mine of Trifurcula headleyella on Prunella vulgaris Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Recorded on Prunella in Britain and elsewhere. Britain including the Isle of Wight, North Hants, South Hants and Warwick. Widespread in continental Europe.