Four
species of Sambucus are recorded in Britain. These include
the native Elder (S. nigra) and Dwarf Elder (S. ebulus)
and the introduced Red-berried Elder (S. racemosa) and American
Elder (S. canadensis).
Only
one British miner is recorded on Sambucus in Britain.
Elsewhere
the tephritid Philophylla
caesio is recorded as a miner in the petioles of Urtica sp. by Ferrar
(1987), Beiger (1968)
and White (1988), although
there are unconfirmed records on Caprifoliaceae and Asteraceae, which seems an odd combination of hosts.
Although
previously recorded as a miner in stems of Sambucus, Botanophila
fugax is a common saprophagous species, the larvae normally
feeding in the soil (Griffiths, pers. comm.).
A key to the European miners recorded on Sambucus is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa. |