Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: The mines are large and obvious on the upper side of the leaf, betraying
the larva or larvae on the lower side (UKMoths).
Cases
are broad and flat - being very hairy from the texture of the leaf
(British
leafminers).
Immediately
after emergence the larva makes a full depth, quickly widening,
corridor, with frass as small grains in a broad central band. Finally
results in a blotch of 2 x 5 mm, from which the young case is cut.
The fully developed case is a hairy, greyish brown to silver grey
lobe case case of about 1 cm long, with a clearly laterally compressed
end; the mouth angle is about 90°. The case is difficult to
separate from that of C. ochripennella (Bladmineerders van Europa).
The
case is illustrated in the Encyclopedia of Life.
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).
Adult:
The adult is illustrated in UKMoths.
The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Comments:
Stachys officinalis is
treated as Betonica officinalis (Betony) by Stace (2010).
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae: September to May (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: Flight period is from late June to August,
sometimes coming to light (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: The species is common in southern
England and Wales, but it becomes scarce and local in Chester and
from south York to the northern limit of England (UKMoths);
including Bedfordshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire, Denbighshire,
Dorset, Durham, East Cornwall, East Kent, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Flintshire,
Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Isle of Wight, Leicestershire, Middlesex, North Essex, North Hampshire, North Somerset,
Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, South Devon, South Northumberland, South-west Yorkshire, Surrey, West Cornwall, West Gloucestershire, West Norfolk, West Suffolk and Worcestershire (NBN
Atlas).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Crete, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia,
French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, North Aegean Is., Poland, Romania,
Russia - Central, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spanish mainland,
Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands. Also East Palaearctic and
North Africa (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
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