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).