Atemelia torquatella [Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects

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

Atemelia torquatella (Lienig & Zeller, 1846)
[Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae]

Northern Ermel

Oecophora torquatella Lienig & Zeller, 1846. Isis: 279.
Atemelia torquatella (Lienig & Zeller, 1846).

Leaf-miner: A very clear blotch, without preceding corridor, usaally harbouring several crimson marbled larvae. The mine mostly begins near the base of the midrib. Most frass is ejected from the mine, but some of the grains are trapped in a loose spinning below the leaf, that has been made by the larvae during excursions. The larvae can leave their mine and restart elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Makes large blotch mines. There may be several larvae in each blotch. Frass is ejected from the mine and collects in a light web spun beneath the mine. The larvae can change leaves to feed (British leafminers).

Larva: The larvae of moths have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding), six thoracic legs and abdominal legs (see examples).

The larva is reddish brown, with whitish marbling. The larva overwinters within a cocoon spun in the leaf (British leafminers). The larvae hibernate individually in a discoid cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

Adult: The adult is not illustrated in UKMoths (check for update). The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Betulaceae
Betula			British leafminers
Betula			Pitkin & Plant
Betula	pubescens	Downy Birch	British leafminers

Hosts elsewhere:

Betulaceae
Alnus			Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula			Belgian Lepidoptera
Betula	nana	Dwarf Birch	Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula	pendula	Silver Birch	Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula	pendula	Silver Birch	Bladmineerders van Europa, as Betula verrucosa
Ulmaceae
Ulmus			Belgian Lepidoptera
Ulmus	minor	Small Leaved Elm	Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: August - September (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Banffshire, Caernarvonshire, Elgin, Haddington, Kirkcubrightshire, Linlithgow, Mid Perthshire, South Aberdeenshire, Stirling and West Perth (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Russia - North and Northwest, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Betula nana, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Ulmus minor

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.


External links:	Search the internet:
Belgian Lepidoptera Biodiversity Heritage Library Bladmineerders van Europa British leafminers Encyclopedia of Life Fauna Europaea NBN Atlas NHM UK Checklist UKMoths	Find using Google Find using Google Scholar Find images using Google


	Last updated 11-May-2019 Brian Pitkin