• HOME
• About
  • Acknowledgements
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Morphology
  • Recent Changes
• Checklists
• Genus Index
• Species Index
• Keys
  • By Host Plant Genus
  • By Host Plant Common Name
  • To Liromyza species in Glasshouse and/or Quarantine Interceptions
• Parasitoids
• References
• Resources
• Search

Leaf-miner: The larvae initially form mines in leaves, later forming a cone by rolling the leaf downwards from the tip (UKMoths).

Orange brown to rust-coloured lower-surface blotch, mostly near the midrib. Towards the end of the mining activity silk is deposited in the mine; this causes the mine to contract, folding the leaf over the mine. Frass packed in a corner of the mine. After some time the larva vacates the mine and lives free then in a leaf tip that has been rolled downwards and fixed with silk. Two of such cones are made and eaten out from the inside. Pupation in a membranous, shining cocoon at the underside of a leaf (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).

Described by SCS Brown (1947a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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

In a cocoon under a white membrane; underside of leaf (British leafminers).

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

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Hosts elsewhere:

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

Time of year - adults: 2-3 generations from May to October (UKMoths).

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: This moth is an adventive species, probably introduced with azalea and rhodedendron plants, that is now spreading throughout Britain including Lancashire (Greater Manchester, Chorlton) (UKMoths), Hampshire (Fleet) (British leafminers); Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, East Cornwall, East Kent, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, North Wiltshire, South Devon, South Lancashire, Surrey, West Cornwall, West Kent, West Suffolk and Worcestershire (NBN Atlas).

See also British leafminers distribution map.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, French mainland, Germany, Italian mainland, Luxembourg, Madeira, Poland, Portuguese mainland, Russia - Central, Slovakia, Sweden and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Belgian Lepidoptera
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
UKMoths