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

 

Liriomyza scorzonerae Rydén, 1951
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Liriomyza scorzonerae Rydén, 1951c. Opusc. ent. 16: 189
Liriomyza scorzonerae Rydén, 1951c; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 260, figs 479-80.
Liriomyza scorzonerae Rydén, 1951c; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 259, 263, 264 (figs 988-9), 399.


Leaf-mine: Larva initially forms a narrow lower surface linear mine, later producing a large blotch, frequently adjoining the leaf-margin on the upper surface. Several larva can feed together (Spencer, 1976: 269).

Upper-surface blotch at the leaf margin, preceded by a lower-surface corridor. Most frass in the centre of the blotch. Often several larvae in a mine. Primary and secondary feeding lines well visible. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Larva: The larvae of flies are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall.

The larva is described by Hering (1967, as scariolae).

Puparium: The puparia of flies are formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

Orange-yellow; posterior spiracles each with an ellipse of some 8 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 269).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland: Currently unknown.

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae        
Lactuca       Spencer, 1990: 259
Lactuca serriola Prickly Lettuce British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Scorzonera       Spencer, 1990: 259
Scorzonera humilis Viper's-grass   Spencer, 1976: 269
Scorzonera humilis Viper's-grass   Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: May and August-September (Hering, 1957).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Added to British Checklist by Henshaw in Chandler, 1998: 138.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Poland (Spencer, 1976: 269), Sweden (Spencer, 1976: 269; Bladmineerders van Europa), Czech Republic, Estonia, French mainland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Spanish mainland (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Lactuca serriola, Scorzonera humilis

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Eurytenes abnormis (Wesmael, 1835) Braconidae: Opiinae


External links: Search the internet:
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
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