Gall-former: A gall in petiole or midrib leads to an oval blotch then cut-out
at base of leaf (British
leafminers).
The
larva bores in the petiole, or even in the bark of a twig. Its activity
causes the petiole to swell gall-like. When almost full grown the
larva moves through the midrib a short distance into the blade.
Here a small blotch is made, from which an oval excision is cut,
of c. 2-3 x 4-5 mm. Thus sandwiched it drops to the ground and pupates,
awaiting hibernation (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 biology and morphology of all stages are extensively discussed
by Prota (1962a) (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 not illustrated in UKMoths (check for update). The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae: June - July (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Anglesey, Bedfordshire,
Berkshire, Breconshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire, Carmarthenshire,
Denbighshire, Dorset, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Durham, East Cornwall, East Norfolk, East Ross, East Suffolk, East Sutherland, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Haddington, Hertforshire, Hutingdonshire, Isle of Wight, Kincardineshire,
Merionethshire, Middlesex, North Devon, North Ebudes, North Hampshire,
North Somerset, Northamptonshire, North Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, South Northumberland, South Wiltshire, South-west Yorkshire, Stafford, Stirlingshire, Surrey, Warwickshire,
West Cornwall, West Gloucestershire, West Norfolk, West Ross, West Suffolk, Westmorland and Worcestershire (NBN
Atlas).
See also British
leafminers distribution map.
Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belarus, Belgium, Corsica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland,
Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland,
Kaliningrad Region, Latvia, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland,
Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia - North and Northwest, Sicily,
Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands 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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