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

 

CITRUS. Oranges and Lemons. [Rutaceae]


Citrus is not recorded in Britain.

One Lepidpteran leaf-miner, Phyllocnistis citrella, is recorded on Citrus imported into Britain.



Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Citrus

1 > Leaf-miner: Long epidermal corridor with a well-marked central frass line. Mine mostly lower-surface, less often upper-surface, and rarely on the rind of the developing fruit. Pupation, as in all Phyllocnistis species, in a chamber at the end of the corridor, under an overturned part of the leaf margin. The mines on leaves and a fruit are also illustrated in British leafminers.

Mainly on Citrus species, but also on other genera of the same family (Rutaceae). The species seems to be native to Asia, but is found now in all regions where Citrus species are cultivated, and is a very serious pest there Bladmineerders van Europa). A tropical species which is not yet a British species. Most specimens are intercepted at points of entry. It is a pest of commercial citrus orchards.

Found and reared from Citrus from a garden centre in Burford, Oxfordshire by Robert Homan (British leafminers - Newsletter 26) and Entomologist's Rec. J. Var. (124) 2012 :279-281.

Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, 1856 [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae].



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