Leaf-miner: The mine formed in the leaf-veins and midrib leads to an oval
blotch (British
leafminers). When fully fed, the larva cuts out an oval case,
in which it descends to the ground and pupates (UKMoths).
The
mine begins in one of the more heavy veins of a leaf. Boring in
the vein the larva descends towards the midrib. Often in this process
the larva moves from one thick vein to another by way of a hair-thin
transverse corridor. Once in the midrib the larva descends, not
rarely even for one or two cm into the petiole (one can see that
by cleaving a petiole). Finally the larva returns into the leaf
by way of the midrib, and makes a short, full depth, quickly widening
corridor with a clear central line of frass. In the end an oval
excision of made of about 2 x 5 mm, in which the larva drops to
the ground (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).
Described by Patočka and Turčáni (2005a) (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: June-September (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: The adult moths fly in a single generation
from late May to July, often in sunshine around alder branches (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: The moth is widespread and locally
common throughout England, Wales and parts of Southern Scotland
(UKMoths)
including Banffshire, Bedfordshire, Breconshire, Cambridgeshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Cheshire, Denbighshire, Derbyshire,
Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Durham, East Cornwall, East Kent, East Norfolk, East Ross, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, Haddington, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Isle of Wight, Kincardineshire, Merionethshire, Middlesex, North Devon,
North Ebudes, North Hampshire, North Northumberland, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, South Aberdeenshire, South Northumberland, South Wiltshire, South-west Yorkshire, Stafford, Stirlingshire, Warwickshire, West Cornwall, West Norfolk, West Suffolk, Westmorland, Wigtownshire and Worcestershire (NBN
Atlas).
See also British
leafminers distribution map.
Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (Fauna Europaea and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Corsica, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland,
French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Kaliningrad Region, Latvia, Norwegian
mainland, Poland, Romania, Russia - Central and North, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.
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