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(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)
by
Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds
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SPARGANIUM.
Bur-reeds. [Sparganiaceae]
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Four
species of Sparganium are recorded in Britain. These include
the native Floating Bur-reed (S. angustifolium), Unbranched
Bur-reed (S. emersum), Branched Bur-reed (S. erectum)
and Least Bur-reed (S. natans). The BSBI provide a downloadable plant crib for Sparganium.
Four
British miners are recorded on Sparganium.
A key to the European miners recorded on Sparganium is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa.
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Branched Bur-reed
Sparganium erectum
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Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Sparganium
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1a > Tunneler: Half-mine; a one cm long straight tunnel along the midline of
the upperside of the leaf; larva rests in this retreat during the
day, emerging to devour the upper epidermis of the leaf during the
hours of darkness. Feeding occurs from both ends of the retreat
to a similar degree (Bland, 1994a).
The larvae of a number of species of Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
live in tunnels in decaying leaf sheaths under water. Their tunnels
are open at both ends, and the larvae feed on particles they obtain
from a water current they create in the tunnels. They do not feed
on tissues of their 'hostplant' and therefore are not strictly miners. |
On ? Glyceria, ? Potamogeton and Sparganium in Britain and Glyceria, Potamogeton and Sparganium elsewhere. Widespread in continental Europe. Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
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Cricotopus
tricinctus (Meigen, 1818) [Diptera:
Chironomidae]. |
1b > Leaf-miner: Full depth or lower-surface blotch, usually near the attachement
of the petiole. Older larvae do not mine any longer but live in
a flat case, made out of leaf fragments, and cause window feeding
at the leaf underside. It mines the leaf for the first three days and
then forms a flat case from which the larva feeds. |
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On Hydrocharis, Potamogeton and Sparganium in Britain and Hydrocharis, Nuphar, Nymphaea and Potamogeton elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
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Elophila
nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758) [Lepidoptera: Crambidae]. |
1c > Leaf-miner: When young, the larva mines mainly the leaves or the
stem of Sparganium or Nuphar lutea. It hibernates.
Later it lives amongst spun leaves just below the surface of the
water. Pupation in a white silk cocoon attached to the foodplant
at or just below the water-level (Belgian
Lepidoptera). Long narrow corridor, on or alongside the midrib.
The corridor may descend below the water surface, and does contain
frass. After some time the larva cuts itself a case out of the mine,
and continues living free, partly under water. |
On Nuphar and Sparganium in Britain and Glyceria,
Nuphar, Nymphaea, Potamogeton and Sparganium elsewhere.
Widespread in Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Nymphula
nitidulata (Hufnagel, 1767) [Lepidoptera:
Crambidae]. |
1d >
Leaf
miner / Stem-borer: Narrow gallery in a young leaf. After having
mined for some time the larva becomes a borer in the stem or rhizome. The larvae feed inside the stems. |
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On Scirpus, Glyceria, Iris, Sparganium and Typha in Britain and Schoenoplectus, Glyceria, Iris and Sparganium elsewhere. Locally distributed from southern England northwards
to southern Scotland. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Orthotelia
sparganella (Thunberg, 1788) [Lepidoptera: Glyphipterigidae]. |
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