Leaf-miner
and case-bearer:
The larva builds a 'pistol case' (UKMoths).
The
mature case is around 15mm long with a slightly swollen middle region,
being palest at the anal end (British
leafminers).
Larva
in a slender tubular silken case. The case is about 15 mm long,
yellow-grey, and trivalved. The mouth angle is about 0°-10°,
causing the case to lie flat on the leaf (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).
The larva lives two years (Emmet et al., 1996a).
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: June - July (May of the following year in
some cases) (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: June and July, but the species has a two-year
lifecycle, appearing every other year (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: A scarce and very local species
which has a small number of tiny colonies in the south of England,
principally in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (UKMoths);
Caernarvonshire, Dorset, Herefordshire, Isle of Wight, South Hampshire and South-east Yorkshire (NBN
Atlas);
and Portsmouth, Hants (British
leafminers).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary,
Italian mainland, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia - South and Slovakia.
Also recorded in Near East (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
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