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

 

Orchestes iota (Fabricius, 1787)
[Coleoptera : Curculionidae]


Curculio iota Fabricius, 1787.
Rhynchaenus iota (Fabricius, 1787)
Curculio rosae Herbst, 1795
Orchestes iota Fabricius, 1787
)

Leaf-miner: Oviposition in the midrib. From there a corridor the larva enters the lamina which suddenly and strongly widens. The larva finally pupates in a globular cocoon inside the mine. Because the mine is formed when the leaf already is fully developed mined leaves have a normal shape (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is rather flat and not inflated, unlike some other Orchestes species (British leafminers).

Larva: The larvae of beetles have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles and lack abdominal legs (see examples).

The larva is yellow (British leafminers). Illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

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

Comments: According to Hering (1957a) this blotch part is situated against the leaf margin, and in the distal part of the leaf; this would separate this mine from that of Tachyerges stigma. However, Scherf (1964a) writes that at least in Alnus, the two mines cannot be told apart (Britis Leafminers).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Betulaceae        
Alnus       British leafminers
Betula       British leafminers
Myricaceae        
Myrica gale Bog-myrtle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. British leafminers
Myrica gale Bog-myrtle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Pitkin & Plant (as Orchestes iota)

Hosts elsewhere:

Betulaceae        
Alnus glutinosa Alder British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula nana Dwarf Birch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula pendula Silver Birch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Betula pubescens Downy Birch British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Myricaceae        
Myrica gale Bog-myrtle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: June to August (British leafminers).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: A southern species in the Britain (British leafminers) including Dorset, East Kent, North Essex, North Somerset, South Hampshire and Surrey (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including French mainland, Germany, Italian mainland, Poland, Slovakia. Also recorded in the East Palaearctic (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Alnus glutinosa, Betula nana, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Myrica gale

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



External links: Search the internet:

Biodiversity Heritage Library
Britis leafminers
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist

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