Trachys scrobiculatus Kiesenwetter, 1857

on Glechoma, Mentha

Glechoma hederacea, Belgium, prov. Antwerp, Meerhout © Carina Van Steenwinkel

underside with near the margin at left the oviposition drop

larva in the mine

pupa in opened mine

Glechoma hederacea, Belgium, prov Namur, Dinant © Jean-Yves Baugnée

larva in the mine

Glechoma hederacea, Belgium, prov. Hainaut, Bailièvre © Stéphane Claerebout: oviposition droplet

larva

mine

Upper-surface, transparent blotch that begins at the leaf margin, generally at the underside of the leaf. Oviposition site covered by a shining brown drop of hardened secretion. Frass in grains or thread fragments. Pupa in the mine, not in a cocoon.

host plants

Lamiaceae, oligophagous

Glechoma hederacea; Mentha aquatica, pulegium, suaveolens.

Preference for dry, sunny locations (Niehuis, 2004a).

Records in the literature from Clinopodium; Leonurus; Marrubium vulgare; Nepeta cataria and Stachys recta probably refer to other Trachys species. However, Ugarte san Vicente ao (2006a) reported adults found on Sanguisorba minor, which taxonomically stands even more apart.

phenology

Larvae in May-July (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE Brechtel & Kostenbader (2002a) and Niehuis (2004a) state that the species occurs in Belgium. Bilý (2002a) does not mention Belgium, neither does the Fauna Europaea (20010) – incorrectly, as the photos demonstrate.

NE recorded (Vorst, 2009a).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

distribution within Europe

From Norway and Sweden to the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and Greece, and from the UK to Poland and Hungary (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

larva

Striking, because all segments have a large black dorsal spot. The larva is described by Bilý (1982a, 1993a, 1994a, 1999a) and Brechtel & Kostenbader (2002a), and illustrated by Niehuis (2004a).

pupa

synonyms

Trachys scrobiculata; Trachys pumilus: auct. nec (Illiger, 1803). The true T. pumilus is a species of the Iberian Peninsula; but see the discussion under that species.

The Fauna Europaea (2011) mentions as a synonym of Tr. problematicus: Tr. aenea Mannerheim, 1837 sensu Théry, 1942. However, that does not match with Théry’s statement that the hostplants of aenea are “différentes espèces de Mentha”. Rather, aenea sensu Théry is a synonym of scrobiculatus, which also appears in Théry’s own list of synonyms.

notes

Species of xerothermic habitats (Hering, 1957a; Niehuis, 2004a; Vorst ao, 2009a).

references

Beiger (1958a, 1979a), Bilý (1982a, 1993a, 1994a, 1999a, 2002a), Brakman (1996a), Brechtel & Kostenbader (2002a), Cobos (1986a), Hering (1924a, 1930a, 1932g, 1936b, 1957a, 1967a), Kwast (210a, 2020a), Lejfelt-Sahlén & Lejfelt (2012a), Niehuis (2004a), Robbins (1991a), Sakalian (2003a), Sánchez Sobrino & Tolosa Sánchez (2005a), Schaefer (1949a), Škorpík, Křivan & Kraus (2011a), Sønderup (1949a), Théry (1942a), Verdugo Paez (1997a), Vorst (2009a), Vorst, Heijerman, Teunissen & Keijl (2009a), Ugarte San Vicente (2005a), Ugarte san Vicente, Zabalegui & Salgueira Cerezo (2006a), Verdugo (2005a), Verdugo Páez (2000a, 2002a).