Bucculatrix humiliella [Lepidoptera: Bucculatricidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects

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

Bucculatrix humiliella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855
[Lepidoptera: Bucculatricidae]

Highland Bent-wing

Bucculatrix humiliella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855. Schmett. Europ. 5: 340, fig. 859
Bucculatrix capreella Krogerus, 1952. Notul. ent Helsingf. 32: 157, fig'd
Bucculatrix obscurella Klemensiewicz, 1899. [Synonymised by Mey, 1999]
Bucculatrix merei Klemensiewicz, 1899.

Leaf-miner: Initially the larva mines the leaflet, leaving a central line of black frass, then grazes the leaflet tips externally, causing withering (British leafminers).

The young larva mines a fine leaf segment completely out, leaving a black, central frass line. Older larvae live free on the the upperside of the leaves, causing window feeding (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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).

Head and feet yellowish brown; body olive green with three length rows of whitish pinacula (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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

Larva pupates in an white ribbed cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Adult: The adult is not illustrated in UKMoths (check for update). The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Asteraceae
Achillea	millefolium	Yarrow	Pitkin & Plant
Achillea	millefolium	Yarrow	British leafminers
Tanacetum	vulgare	Tansy	British leafminers

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae
Achillea	millefolium	Yarrow		Bladmineerders van Europa

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

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: First found in Aviemore in 1966. It is fairly common on the riverbanks and verges in the Highlands (British leafminers). Britain including Easterness, South Aberdeen and Warwickshire (NBN Atlas). See also British leafminers distribution map.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Finland, French mainland, Germany, Latvia, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Achillea millefolium, Tanacetum vulgare

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.


External links:	Search the internet:
Belgian Lepidoptera Biodiversity Heritage Library Bladmineerders van Europa British leafminers Encyclopedia of Life Fauna Europaea NBN Atlas NHM UK Checklist UKMoths	Find using Google Find using Google Scholar Find images using Google


	Last updated 12-May-2019 Brian Pitkin