Leaf-miner: The
larva overwinters in a narrow crescent shaped mine on the the lower
leaf surface and then forms a large blotch mine next spring (British
leafminers).
In
autumn the mine begins as a brown, narrow and inconspicuous, lower-surface
corridor. The larva is capable of leaving its mine and restarting
elsewhere, possibly in another leaf. In April - May of the following
spring a full depth transparant blotch is made, from which most
frass is ejected. The mined leaf soon drops, which makes the mine
even more difficult to detect (Simpson, 2004a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).
The mine is also illustrated in UKMoths.
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).
Deep green; described by Bradley et al. (1979a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
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: September - May (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: A rare miner, being found in
old apple orchards in the West of England including Gloucester,
South Wales (British
leafminers); East Gloucestershire, North Somerset, West Gloucestershire and Worcestershire (NBN
Atlas)
and the Channel Is. (Fauna Europaea).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Czech Republic, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland,
Hungary, Italian mainland, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia,
Switzerland and Ukraine (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.
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