Verbascum [Scrophulariaceae]

VERBASCUM. Mulleins. [Scrophulariaceae]

Eighteen species of Verbascum are recorded in Britain. These include the native White Mullein (V. lychnitis), Dark Mullein (V. nigrum), Hoary Mullein (V. pulverulentum), Great Mullein (V. thapsus) and Twiggy Mullein (V. virgatum) and the introduced Cretan Mullein (V. creticum).

Only one Diptera miner, the agromyzid Amauromyza verbasci, is recorded on Verbascum in Britain.

The agromyzid Napomyza scrophulariae is recorded feeding in both seed heads and stems of Digitalis pupurea and possibly Scrophularia nodosa, Verbascum and Mentha in Britain.

Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Amauromyza verbasci, Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza bryoniae and Liriomyza strigata are recorded mining Verbascum.

One non-Diptera leaf-miner is recorded on Verbascum in Britain and elsewhere (see below).

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

Great Mullein
Verbascum thapsus

Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Verbascum

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 > A linear-blotch mine, often with several mines occurring in the same leaf. puparium orange-yellow

On Buddleja, Scrophularia, and Verbascum in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Amauromyza verbasci (Bouche, 1847) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

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

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 > 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). Larva without abdominal legs.

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

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

1b > 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 Verbascum, elsewhere. Recorded in southern England. Widespread in continental Europe.

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


	Last updated 02-Feb-2012 Brian Pitkin