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Leaf-miner: The larvae forms large whitish or translucent blotches (UKMoths).

Rather large, untidy blotch, full-depth for most of its surface, very transparent, without feeding lines and without association with midrib or leaf margin. The larva makes several mines. Often only its anterior part is inserted in the mine, that remains free of frass then. Pupation outside the mine in a silk cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is also illustrated in British leafminers.

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, British leafminers and UKMoths.

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

The pupa is illustrated in British leafminers and UKMoths and is formed in a cocoon fashioned from a network of silk.

Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Solanaceae
Atropa	belladona	Deadly Nightshade		British leafminers
Atropa	belladona	Deadly Nightshade		Plant in Pitkin & Plant 2005
Solanum	dulcamara	Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade		British leafminers
Solanum	dulcamara	Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade		Plant in Pitkin & Plant 2005

Hosts elsewhere:

Solanaceae
Atropa				Bladmineerders van Europa
Atropa	belladona	Deadly Nightshade		Belgian Lepidoptera
Physalis	alkekengi			Bladmineerders van Europa
Solanum	dulcamara	Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade		Belgian Lepidoptera
Solanum	dulcamara	Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade		Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: June, September (British leafminers).

Time of year - adults: The adults generally emerge in two generations, firstly in July and then in October, the second brood overwintering in this stage (UKMoths).

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: A small inconspicuous species, distributed mainly in the southern half of England, with a few scattered records further north, although it is probably overlooked (UKMoths); Anglesey, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Breconshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Denbighshire, Derbyshire, East Cornwall, East Kent, East Gloucestershire, East Kent, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Isle of Wight, Leicestershire, Middlesex, North Essex, North Hampshire, North Somerset, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, South Hampshire, South Somerset, Stafford, West Conrwall, West Gloucestershire, West Lancashire, West Norfolk and West Suffolk (NBN Atlas). Also Yardley Chase, Northants (British leafminers).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corsica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia - Central, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Yugoslavia (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: