Orthochaetes insignis (Aubé, 1863)
Prunella vulgaris, Spain, prov. Asturias, Gijon © Jean-Yves Baugnée
detail
Umbilicus, Spain, Asturias, Gijón, Colina del Cuevo (Playa Serin) © Jean-Yyes Baugnée
another mine
living larva
mine
Rather narrow gallery, untidy and sometimes branched, usually starting from the base of the leaf, in particular the midrib. Sides of the corridor irregularly eaten out, not really parallel. Frass mostly present, and then in a central line. The larva is capable of leaving the mine and start a new one elsewhere. These later mines are much broader, anf the frass is scattered irregularly. Larvae without feet. Pupation outside the mine (Hering, 1957a).
host plants
Very polyphagous
Aster; Anagallis arvensis; Bellis perennis; Campanula; Carduus; Carlina; Centaurium; Cerastium; Cirsium pannonicum; Cochlearia; Cyclamen hederifolium; Dactylorhiza; Erigeron; Geranium nodosum; Gnaphalium; Himantoglossum; Inula helenium; Lamium; Lapsana communis; Leucanthemum maximum; Myosotis; Orchis; Polygala; Primula elatior; Prunella vulgaris; Ranunculus repens; Salvia; Senecio vulgare; Silene; Smyrnium olusatrum; Tanacetum; Teesdalia nudicaulis; Umbilicus; Valerianella locusta; Verbascum; Veronica.
phenology
Larvae almost throughout the year (Hering, 1957a).
BENELUX
Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2010).
distribution within Europe
British Isles, France, Iberian Peninsula, Italy (Fauna Europaea, 2007).
larva
synonyms
Comasinus insignis, C. insignus
notes
In the northern part of its distribution the species reproduces parthenogenetically.
references
Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Maček (1999a), Morris (1982a), Ostojá-Starzewski (2002a), Stüben (2017a).