Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: Lobe case. The full grown case is about 7 mm long. The mouth angle
is 0°, causing the case to lie flat on the leaf. The case is
gradually enlarged by the addition of rings that are cut out of
the epidermis. The rings become gradually larger, and stick irregularly
out of the contour of the case. The rings are cut out of the lower
epidermis of the mine. This implies that mines may have both normal,
small openings, and large ones. Compare for instance C.
violacea, that cuts rings out of the upper epidermis (Bladmineerders van Europa).
The
larva feeds briefly initially and again after over wintering. It
then aestivates until Autumn. It makes one case which it enlarges
by adding pieces of excised lower epidermis (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).
The larva is illustrated in 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:
Biennial in the UK - August - September and May - June (British
leafminers). Full grown cases already in autumn. In Britain
the larva lives two years; if this also applies to the Continent
is not known (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Time
of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Dorset, East Suffolk and North Hampshire (NBN
Atlas).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French
mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania,
Norwegian mainland, Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
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