The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects
 

(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)

by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds

  

Phyllonorycter muelleriella (Zeller, 1839)
[Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae]

Western Midget

Lithocolletis muelleriella Zeller, 1839. Isis: 217.
Elachista amyotella Duponchel, 1840. Hist. Nat. Lep. 11: 544.
Phyllonorycter muelleriella (Zeller, 1839).

Leaf-miner: Lower-surface tentiform mine, generally rather small and between two veins, touching the midrib. Lower epidermis with a single sharp fold. Pupa in the mine in a cocoon that with its upper- and lowerside is attached to the mine; almost all frass is incorporated in the sides of the cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is also illustrated in 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).

Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

The pupa is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Fagaceae        
Quercus       Pitkin & Plant

Hosts elsewhere:

Fagaceae        
Quercus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Quercus cerris Turkey Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Quercus petraea Sessile Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Belgian Lepidoptera
Quercus petraea Sessile Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Quercus pubescens Downy Oak   Bladmineerders van Europa
Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Belgian Lepidoptera
Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Durham, Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, North Somerset, Shropshire, Stafford, Warwickshire, West Gloucestershire, West Lancashire, Westmorland and Worcestershire (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia - Central and South, Slovakia, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Ukraine. Also recorded in Near East (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Quercus cerris, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Quercus robur

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Pholetesor nanus (Reinhard, 1880) Braconidae: Microgastrinae

External links: Search the internet:
Belgian Lepidoptera
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
UKMoths		 Find using Google
Find using Google Scholar
Find images using Google

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 Last updated 11-Jul-2019  Brian Pitkin Top of page