Key for the identification of the known mines of British
non-Diptera recorded on Artemisia

Note: The larvae of mining Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, a blotch mine, a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Larva may pupate in a silk cocoon. The larva may have six legs (although they may be reduced or absent), a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding). Larvae of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera usually also have abdominal legs (see examples). Frass, if present, never in two rows. Unless feeding externally from within a case the larva usually vacates the mine by chewing an exit hole. Pupa with visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

1a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larva lives outside the mine, protected by a case, and feeds on the underlying plant tissues via a hole cut in the epidermis. From that point it eats away as much leaf tissue as it can reach without fully entering the mine. Mine does not contain frass (Coleophora species)

2

1b > Leaf-miner, but not a case-bearer: The larva lives inside the mine. Mine usually contains frass

3

2a > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: A straw-coloured to grey, slender, three-valved case of he type tubular silken case; mouth angle 45° - 60°. The case resembles that of C. trochilella, but the case is more slender, the mouth is narrower and the constriction behind the mouth less deep.

On Achillea millefolium, Achillea ptarmica, Artemisia maritima, Leucanthemum vulgare and Tanacetum vulgare elsewhere. Recorded in North Hants and South Hants in Britain. Widespread in other parts of Europe and elsewhere.

Coleophora gardesanella Toll, 1954 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

2b > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: A straw-coloured, slender, three-valved tubular silken case; length about 10 mm, mouth angle 45° - 60°. Larva on the leaf underside. Perhaps because of the plant's dense felt cover, the case is attached with much silk, giving the holes a conspicuous white margin.

On Achillea millefolium, Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris, Aster, Leucanthemum vulgare, Tanacetum vulgare and possibly Hieracium in Britain and Achillea millefolium, Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris, Leucanthemum vulgare, Tanacetum vulgare elsewhere. Widespread in Britain although there aren't many records. Widespread in continental Europe.

Coleophora trochilella (Duponchel, 1843) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

2c > Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Laterally strongly compressed, two-valved, black silken case, narrowed behind the mouth. Rear end narrowed, strong ventral keel. Mouth angle c. 0°.

On Artemisia maritima in Britain and Achillea millefolium and Artemisia campestris elsewhere. Britain including South Essex. Widespread in continental Europe.

Coleophora vibicigerella Zeller, 1839 [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

2d > Leaf-miner and case-bearer:: The larva starts to mine the leaves and then later feeds on flowers and seeds (British leafminers, as C. artemisiella). Squat tubular silken case of 6-7 mm. The front half is covered with felt, the rear half is greyish with some darker length lines. The case is trivalved, the mouth angle is c. 15-30°. The larva not only lives on the leaves, but also feeds in the inflorescence.

On Artemisia in Britain and elsewhere. Found on the edges of salt marshes on the East coast in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.

Coleophora albicans (Zeller) [Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae].

3a > Leaf-miner: In the first instar the larva mines the leaves, forming short, irregular, blotch-like mines, but in later instars it lives externally, feeding in spun leaves and often twisting those of tender shoots. Larval head light-brown or yellowish brown, edged with black postero-laterally, ocellar area blackish; prothoracic plate black edged with whitish anteriorly; abdomen dull dark green; pinacula distinct, black, sometimes brownish but with black bases to setae; anal plate large, black (Bradley et al., 1973). Small, full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk is deposited in the mine. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues feeding among spun leaves.

Polyphagous. On numerous genera and species of plant families, but not yet on Artemisia, in Britain. On numerous genera and species of plant families including Artemisia elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae].

3b > Leaf-miner: The larva feeds initially in a gallery on the underside of a mugwort leaf, eventually forming a blotch or blister that becomes inflated and turns at first yellowish, and later purple. Upper surface blotch, with a conspicuous yellow-orange tinge (older mines turn brown). The larva lines the inside with much silk, causing the mine to pucker up strongly (the inflated surface and the mostly orange tinge distinguish the mine easily from that of Calycomyza artemisiae [Diptera: Agromyzidae] on the same host plant). The mine is preceded by a long lower-surface corridor, running along the midrib or the leaf margin (but practically invisible because of the densely hairy leaf underside). When the larva is almost full-grown it starts eating parts of the upper epidermis, giving the older mines a mottled appearance. Black frass in the centre of the mine. Pupation external.

On Artemisia in Britain and elsewhere. Distributed mainly in the south and east of England. Widespread in continental Europe.

Leucospilapteryx omissella (Stainton, 1848) [Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae].

3c > Leaf-miner: The mine is brownish and extends along the midrib, sometimes branching. Oviposition on top of the midrib. Immediately after emergence the larva gnaws a cavity in the midrib, and from there an irregular blotch is made adjacent to the midrib. The larva continues living in the midrib that is gradully hollowed out, making from there broad, brownish, full depth excursions in the blade. The mine contains much frass; most of it is concentrated in the area immediately bordering the midrib. Older, no longer occupied parts of the mine often split open. Mines mainly on the lower leaves. The slender larvae move surprisingly fast upon disturbance; when they rest (in daytime) they lie lengthwise in the hollowed midrib. Pupation outside the mine.

On Artemisia, Carduus, Cirsium and possibly Tussilago in Britain and Carduus and Cirsium elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Scrobipalpa acuminatella (Sircom, 1850) [Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae].