Orthochaetes setiger (Beck, 1817)

Pilosella officinarum, Belgium, prov. Antwerp, Meerhout © Carina Van Steenwinkel

detail of the underside, with exit slit

Pilosella bauhinii, Belgium, prov. Liège, Ben-Ahin, Lovegnée-Bosquet; © Jean-Yves Baugnée
mine
The mine begins in the midrib, especially in a lower leaf, extending into the leaf disc, branching irregularly or pinnately, may also locally be blotchlike. The mine is brown and very transparent. Sides very irregularly eaten out. Frass loosely dispersed or in a loose central line, but may also be pressed against the sides of the corridor. The larva with chitinised head, no feet, pupates outside the mine. The larva may also leave the mine and restart elsewhere, even when this concerns a different plant species.
host plants
Very polyphagous, but with a preference for Asteraceae
Ajuga reptans; Aposeris; Aquilegia vulgaris; Aster; Bellidiastrum michelii; Bellis; Centaurea; Chondrilla; Cichorium intybus; Crepis biennis, praemorsa; Cyclamen; Erigeron; Hieracium murorum; Himantoglossum; Hieracium murorum; Hypochaeris radicata; Lactuca muralis, virosa; Lapsana communis; Leontodon hispidus; Leucanthemum vulgare; Myosotis sylvatica; Picris hieracioides; Pilosella bauhinii, cymosa, officinarum, piloselloides subsp. praealta; Plantago macrorhiza; Ranunculus; Rumex acetosella; Scorzoneroides autumnalis; Senecio viscosus; Solidago virgaurea; Sonchus asper, oleraceus; Symphyotrichum salignum; Taraxacum officinale; Viola canina, tricolor.
Bland & Nelson report mining on Allium ursinum. Because no larva was mentioned this observation is not fully certain. However, later larvae have also been found in the leaves and -in considerable number- the fruit wall of Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Bland, 2021a).
phenology
Larvae in May-July (Hering, 1957a; Buhr, 1964a; Scherf, 1964a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Curculionidae.be, 2010).
NE recorded (Heijerman, 1993a).
LUX recorded (Ellis).
distribution within Europe
From Sweden to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy and from Ireland to the Ukraine (Fauna Europaea, 2007).
larva
synonyms
Comasinus setiger.
notes
In the northern part of its distribution the species reproduces parthenogenetically.
references
Bland (2021a), rBland & Nelson (1997a), Buhr (1933a, 1956a, 1964a), Dieckmann (1986a), Haase (1942a), (Heijerman, 1993a), Hering (1925a, 1928a, 1930a, 1957a), Huber (1969a), Maček (1999a), Mifsud & Colonnelli (2010a, Ostojá-Starzewski (2002a), Rheinheimer & Hassler (2010a), Robbins (1991a), Scherf (1964a), Scholze (1991a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Ugarte San Vicente (2005a), Vorst (2010a), Yunakov, Nazarenko, Filimonov & Volovnik (2018a).