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Phyllonorycter rajella (Linnaeus, 1758) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]. Phalaena rajella Linnaeus, 1758. Syst. Nat. (ed. 10): 542. Tinea alnifoliella Hübner, 1796. Samml. Europ. Schmett. Tin. 28: 193. Phyllonorycter rajella (Linnaeus, 1758).

Leaf-mine: The mine is underside, small, at or near midrib. The lower epidermis with one strong crease (British leafminers). Lower-surface tentiform mine, not longer than 20 mm, usually in the axil of a thick lateral vein, with one strong length fold. Pupa in a tough off-white cocoon that is fastened to the floor and the roof of the mine. Almost all frass is incorporated in the sides of the cocoon (visible with a loupe in transparancy as two dark lines). In autumn not infrequently five or more mines in one leaf (Bladmineerders van Europa). Mine of Phyllonorycter rajella on Alnus glutinosa Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa) The mine is also described and illustrated in UKMoths. Larva: Pale green (Bladmineerders van Europa). Pupa: The pupa is described and illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa. The cremaster is described and illustrated in British leafminers. Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The male genitalia, but not the female genitalia (check for update), are illustrated by the Lepidoptera Dissection Group. Hosts in Britain: Betulaceae       Alnus     British leafminers Alnus     UKMoths Alnus cordata Italian Alder Pitkin & Plant Alnus cordata Italian Alder UKMoths Alnus glutinosa Alder Pitkin & Plant Alnus incana Grey Alder Pitkin & Plant Hosts elsewhere: Betulaceae       Alnus cordata Italian Alder Bladmineerders van Europa Alnus glutinosa Alder Bladmineerders van Europa Alnus incana Grey Alder Bladmineerders van Europa Alnus oregona   Bladmineerders van Europa Alnus viridis Green Alder Bladmineerders van Europa Time of year - larvae: July, September - October (British leafminers). Time of year - adults: Two generations; in May and again in August (UKMoths). Distribution in Great Britain & Ireland: Quite a common species throughout the British Isles (UKMoths) including Berks, Buckingham, Cambridge, Hereford, Kincardine, Mid Perth, Mid-west York, Middlesex, North Devon, North Hants, Salop, South Aberdeen, Stafford, West Gloucester, West Kent, Worcester (NBN Gateway distribution map - BRERC, GiGL, JNCC, NE, NESBRC and SNH) and Northern Ireland (Karsholt & van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea). See also British leafminers distribution map. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Karsholt & van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea). NBN Grid map: Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in Europe including Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Moldova, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Russia - Central, North and Northwest, Sardinia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine and Yugoslavia (Karsholt & van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea). NBN interactive distribution maps of known host species in Britain and elsewhere: Alnus cordata, Alnus glutinosa, Alnus incana, Alnus viridis Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Cirrospilus elegantissimus Westwood, 1841 Hymenoptera: Eulophidae Cirrospilus vittatus Walker, 1838 Hymenoptera: Eulophidae

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Belgian Lepidoptera British leafminers NBN Gateway Bladmineerders van Europa Fauna Europaea UKMoths	Find using Google Find using Google Scholar Find images using Google

Last updated 07-Sep-2010  Brian Pitkin