Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Epilobium
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1a > Leaf
and bark mine: Mining the stems and later the leaves.
The
larva lives as a bark miner in late summer and autumn. It descends
into the rootstock for hibernation. After hibernation large, lower
surface blotch mines are made in the lower leaves, from a gallery
in the bark. They start in the base of the leaf, and are centered
over the midrib. The mine contains hardly any frass. The larva can
make several mines. Sometimes several larvae in a mine. Pupation
in the mine. |
On Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Occurs widely throughout
much of Britain.
Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental
Europe.
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Mompha
ochraceella (Curtis, 1839) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]. |
1b > Leaf-miner: A distinctive mine primarily above mid-rib, with irregular short
lateral offshoots into leaf blade. Pupation external (Spencer, 1972:
51 (fig. 172), 55; Spencer, 1976:
270, 271 (fig. 486)).
Branched,
whitish, upper-surface corridor; main axis overlying the midrib;
side branches overlying the main lateral veins. (In Campanula and Phyteuma the mine is much less branched, sometimes nothing
more than a corridor on top of the midrib). Frass in rather long
strings. Usually the mines begins as a long and narrow, shallow,
tortuous lower-surface corridor that ends upon the midrib but otherwise
is not associated with the leaf venation. Often this initial corridor
is filled with callus, and then even less conspicuous. Pupation
outside the mine.
A
linear mine on the upper surface, usually following the midrib and
showing side branches along the veins. The frass is in strings. |
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Polyphagous. On more than 40 host genera in 15 families, but not yet on Epilobium, in Britain,. Widespread
throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Liriomyza strigata (Meigen, 1830) [Diptera: Agromyzidae]. |
1c > Leaf-miner: In the first instar the larva mines the leaves, forming short,
irregular, blotch-like mines, but in later instars it lives externally,
feeding in spun leaves and often twisting those of tender shoots. Larval head light-brown or yellowish brown, edged with black postero-laterally,
ocellar area blackish; prothoracic plate black edged with whitish
anteriorly; abdomen dull dark green; pinacula distinct, black,
sometimes brownish but with black bases to setae; anal plate large,
black (Bradley et al., 1973).
Small,
full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk
is deposited in the mine. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues
feeding among spun leaves. |
Polyphagous. On numerous genera and species of plant families, but not yet
on Epilobium, in Britain. On numerous genera
and species of plant families including Epilobium elsewhere.
Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from
the Channel Is.
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Cnephasia
incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]. |
1d > Leaf-miner: The
larvae feed mainly on Broad-leaved Willowherb mining the leaves.
Large
full depth blotch in the lower leaves. Much frass in coarse grains.
The larva easily leaves its mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation
either in the mine or in the ground. Mines cannot be told apart
from those of Mompha propinquella. |
On Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Distributed locally
in England and Scotland. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Widespread in continental Europe.
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Mompha
lacteella (Stephens, 1834) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]. |
1e > Leaf-miner: A narrow contorted gallery leading to a whitish blotch with scattered
frass centrally. The early gallery can merge with the blotch and
there are often several to a leaf.
The
larva begins by making a full depth corridor, erratic in width and
course; frass black, in an irregular central line. Later the larva
makes a blotch, with frass in irregular clouds. This blotch can
be a continuation of the corridor, but may just as well be on a
different leaf. Often several mines in a leaf; in such cases the
entire leaf me be mined out. Mines white at first, turning brown
later. The larva lies venter-upwards in the mine. Pupation external. |
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On Circaea and Epilobium in Britain and Chamerion,
Circaea and Epilobium elsewhere. Widespread in England
and continental Europe.
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Mompha
langiella (Hübner, 1796) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]. |
1f > Leaf-miner: The mine is a whitish blotch with scattered blackish frass (UKMoths),
usually low on the plant.
Oviposition
on the basal part of the midrib. The young larva makes a number
of short corridors radiating from this point, either in the same
leaf, or on different ones; they have a central frassline, but their
final sections are free of frass. Later an elongate blotch is make,
also beginning on the midrib (although not necessarily its basal
part). Pupation external. Pupation in a white cocoon, which is attached to vegetation or leaf litter. |
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On Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain,
Ireland and continental Europe.
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Mompha
locupletella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) [Lepidoptera:
Momphidae]. |
1g > Leaf-miner: Large full depth blotch in the lower leaves; much frass in coarse
grains. The larva can make several mines. Pupation either in the
mine or in the ground. Mines cannot be distinguished from those
of Mompha lacteella. |
On Epilobium in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain
and conntinental Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
|
Mompha
propinquella (Stainton, 1851) [Lepidoptera: Momphidae]. |
1h > Leaf-miner: Early mines are spiral galleries; later forms pale blotches, sometimes
having moved to a different leaf. Egg at the upperside of the leaf, not near the
midrib. The larva starts by making a long, narrow, full depth corridor
that is strongly spiraled or even lies in intestine-like loops.
Frass as fine grains, distributed, later in a central line. After
a while a new mine is made, either a continuation of the corridor
or, more often, in a new leaf. This new mine begins as a narrow
corridor but soon widens into a large blotch; here the fass lies
in a broad band. The larva lies venter-upwards in the mine. Pupation
external. |
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On Circaea and Epilobium in Britain and Circaea elsewhere. Widespread in Britain. Also recorded in
Northern Ireland and continental Europe.
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Mompha
terminella (Humphreys & Westwood, 1845) [Lepidoptera:
Momphidae]. |