Ophiomyia heracleivora [Diptera: Agromyzidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects

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

Ophiomyia heracleivora Spencer, 1957
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Ophiomyia heracleivora Spencer, 1957e. Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (B) 26: 182
Ophiomyia heracleivora Spencer, 1957e; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 30 (fig. 72), 31, 121
Ophiomyia heracleivora Spencer, 1957e; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 127, 140, 160, 163, 164 (figs 593-4), 178.

Stem-mine: An external mine on stem or leaf stalk. Pupation either at leaf base or beneath epidermis of main stem (Spencer, 1972b: 31).

Larva: The larvae of flies are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall.

Puparium: The puparia of flies are formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

Posterior spiracles agree closely with those of O. orbiculata on Pisum (Spencer, 1972b: 31).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Asteraceae
Heracleum			Robbins, 1991: 67
Heracleum	sphondylium	Hogweed	Spencer, 1972b: 121

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae
Heracleum				Spencer, 1990: 160

Time of year - mines: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Widespread in south, but not common. Surrey (Bookham), Middlesex (Scratch Wood) and Berkshire (Silwood Park) (Spencer, 1972b: 31).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Czech Republic, Estonia, French mainland, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Spanish mainland (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Heracleum sphondylium

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available
Chorebus bathyzonus (Marshall, 1895)	Braconidae: Alysiinae


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


	Last updated 10-Jul-2019 Brian Pitkin

land1999">Bland, 1999).

Distribution elsewhere: Germany (Spencer, 1990) and Lithuania (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Antennaria dioica, Gnaphalium sylvaticum

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.


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


	Last updated 05-Dec-2017 Brian Pitkin