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(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)
by
Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds
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ATROPA.
Deadly Nightshade. [Solanaceae]
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Deadly
Nightshade (A. belladonna), is the only species of Atropa
recorded in Britain. It is a native species.
Five British miners are recorded on Atropa.
A key to the European miners recorded on
Atropa is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. |

Deadly Nigthshade
Atropa belladona
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Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Atropa
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1a > Leaf-miner: A short, irregular, linear upper surface mine on any part of the
leaf, indistinguishable from the mine of Liriomyza
sativae. |
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Polyphagous. On 119 plant genera in 31 plant families of which only 4 plant genera in 2 plant families, but not yet on Atropa, in Britain. Local, probably introduced
to Britain. Widespread in continental Europe particularly in Botanical
Gardens and glasshouses. Also recorded in Egypt
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Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach, 1858) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. |
1b > Leaf-miner: Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal,
at the end of the mine with the anterior spiracles projecting through
the epidermis (Spencer, 1976:
433).
Upper-surface,
less often lower-surface corridor. Frass in isolated grains. Pupation
within the mine, usually in a lower-surface puparial chamber.
A long whitish upper surface corridor, which eventually goes lower surface. |
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Two
highly polyphagous species of Chromatomyia, with indistinguishable
mines, have been recorded in Britain. These are syngenesiae (Hardy) and horticola (Goureau) which can only be distinguished by the male genitalia. Both species are widespread in Britain and elsewhere, although syngenesiae is almost entirely restricted to Asteraceae. Records on Asteraceae not based on examination of male genitalia are treated in this account as Chromatomyia 'atricornis'.
Chromatomyia
horticola is recorded on 160 plant genera in 31 families of which 55 plant
genera in 19 families, including Atropa, in Britain.
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Chromatomyia
horticola (Goureau, 1851) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. |
1c > Leaf-miner: Large
blotch mine, often with several larvae, beginning with a short deeper
corridor at a single egg shell on the surface of the leaf. The broad
deep corridor later ends in a blotch but can be recognised (beneath
the blotch) by its greater depth. Mine predominantly dorsal or ventral,
greenish in transmitted light. Frass grains irregularly scattered
except in the initial corridor.
Blotch,
mostly occupying almos the entire leaf, containing several larvae.
Much, half-deliquescent, greenish-black frass. At the start of the
mine at the leaf underside a group of some 5 elliptic egg shells,
parallel to each other. However, the larvae can leave their mine
and restart elsewhere, so mines without egg shells can occur as
well. The larvae do not penetrate into the stem of the plant, neither
is the mine full depth (compare Delia species). Mine indistinguishable from P.
exilis or P. hyoscyami.
Makes a large upper surface whitish blotch, which can contain several larvae. The frass has a washed out appearance and is greenish. There may be several mines on a leaf and eventually the leaf will be mined and then shrivel up. To identify this miner adults must be reared. |
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On Silene, Atriplex, Beta, Chenopodium and ? Solanum, but not yet on Atropa, in Britain and additional genera of Chenopodiaceae and Solanaceae
elsewhere. Known only from Inner Hebrides, Ayr and Warwick in
Britain. Also recorded in continental Europe and the East Palaearctic.
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Pegomya
hyoscyami (Panzer, 1809) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae]. |
1d > Leaf-miner: Blotch
mines, generally occupying an entire leaf, usually containing several
larvae. Much, half deliquescent, green frass. Mine indistinguishable from P.
exilis or P. hyoscyami. |
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On Atriplex, Beta and ? Polygonum, but not yet on Atropa, in Britain and additionally Silene and Spinacia [Caryophyllaceae], Chenopodium, Atropa, Hyoscyamus and Solanum [Solanaceae] in continental Europe. Only recorded from
Warwick in Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland,
Europe, the East Palaearctic and Nearctic Regions. Widespread in continental Europe including Balearic Is., Canary Is., Czech Republic, Danish
mainland, Finland, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Malta,
Norwegian mainland, Russia (Central), Sweden, East Palaearctic,
Near East, North Africa (Michelsen in Fauna
Europaea).
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Pegomya
betae (Curtis, 1847) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae]. |
1e > Leaf-miner: The larvae forms large whitish or translucent blotches.
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. |
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On Atropa belladona and Solanum dulcamarain Britain
and Atropa belladona, Physalis alkekengi and Solanum
dulcamara, elsewhere. Distributed mainly in the southern half
of England, with a few scattered records further north in Britain.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Acrolepia
autumnitella Curtis, 1838 [Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae]. |
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