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

 

LEGOUSIA. Venus's-looking-glass. [Campanulaceae]


Four species of Legousia are recorded in Britain. These include the native Venus's-Looking-glass (L. hybrida).

Two British miners are recorded on Legousia.

A key to the European miners recorded on Legousia is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Venus's-looking-glass - Legousia hybrida. Image: © Linda Pitkin
Venus's-looking-glass
Legousia hybrida



Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insecst recorded on Legousia


1a > Leaf-miner: A shallow whitish linear-blotch mine. Puparium yellowish brown; outside the mine

On Campanula glomerata and Campanula rotundifolia, but not yet on Legousia, in Britain. In addition on other genera and species of Campanulaceae elsewhere. Recorded in England. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe. Also recorded in Japan.

Amauromyza gyrans (Fallén, 1823) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

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.

Liriomyza strigata larva,  lateral
Liriomyza strigata larva, lateral
Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Polyphagous. On more than 40 host genera in 15 families, but not yet on Legousia,in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread throughout Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Liriomyza strigata (Meigen, 1830) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].


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