Leaf-miner: The
larva feeds within the needle from the tip to base and exits close
to the base (British
leafminers).
The
mine begins at an oval egg on the flat side of the tip of a needle.
Working from here the larva mines the needle for about one quarter
of its length. Apart from the larval chamber, the entire mine is
filled with frass. The full grown larva leaves the mine by an opening
made at the end of te mine, then forms a cocoon between a few needles
that have been spun together. Only the pupa enables discrimination
from O. piniarella (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).
The larva is illustrated in British
leafminers and Bladmineerders van Europa.
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
The pupa and cocoon are llustrated in British
leafminers and Bladmineerders van Europa.
Adult:
The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Comments:
Reported occurrences on Abies alba, and especially Juniperus
need further confirmation (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae: December - March; June - July; September (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: The species is bi- or trivoltine, with flight
periods in March to May, August and sometimes November (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Banffshire, Denbighshire, Dorset, Dumfrieshire, Durham, East Cornwall, East Kent,
East Suffolk, East Sutherland, Easterness, Elgin, Glamorgan, Haddington, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex, North-east Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, South Aberdeenshire, South Hampshire, Stafford,
West Gloucestershire and West Suffolk (NBN
Atlas).
Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French
mainland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland,
? Romania, Russia - North, Slovakia, Spanish mainland, 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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