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).
The mine is illustrated in British Leafminers.
The
case is also illustrated in British
leafminers and UKMoths.
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 illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
Pupation from May to early June is in the case, usually attached
to a hard surface such as a rock or post (UKMoths).
Adult:
The adult is illustrated in UKMoths by Nigel Whinney.
The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae:
August - May (British
leafminers). The larva starts feeding and case making in August,
overwinters half grown, recommences feeding in early March and is
full-grown in May (UKMoths).
Time
of year - adults: Mid-June to August (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Throughout England and Wales
and a few places in Scotland, in open and shady habitats where the
foodplants occurs (UKMoths)
including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire, Denbighshire,
Derbyshire, Durham, East Cornwall, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, East Sussex, Glamorgan,
Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Isle of Wight, Kincardineshire, Leicestershire, North Somerset, North-west Yorkshire, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, Stafford, Surrey, West Gloucestershire, West Norfolk and West Suffolk (NBN
Atlas).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Albania,
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland,
Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spanish
mainland, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
Clinopodium
vulgare, Glechoma
hederacea, Lycopus
europaeus, Melissa
officinalis, Mentha
aquatica, Mentha
arvensis, Nepeta
cataria, Origanum
vulgare, Prunella
vulgaris, Salvia
pratensis, Salvia
verbenaca |
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
|