Hexomyza simplex (Loew, 1869)

asparagus miner

on Asparagus

mine

Oviposition in the rind of the stem, just above the ground. A corridor from there runs upwards for about 30 cm, then reverts and descends to about ground level. Pupation in the mine, just below the epidermis. Usually several mines on one plant; the plant can effectively be ringed and be killed.

hostplants

Asparagaceae, monophagous

Asparagus officinalis.

Pest species (Spencer, 1973b).

phenology

Mines in June-August (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

NE recorded: an illustration in Spencer (1973b) shows a mine originating from the Netherlands.

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

distribution within Europe

From Poland tot the Pyrenees, and from the UK to Italy (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

larva

Described by Spencer (1973b) and Dempewolf (2001a).

puparium

Flattened.

synonyms

Melanagromyza, Ophiomyia simplex.

parasitoids, predators

Chorebus rondanii; Cyrtogaster vulgaris; Eupelmus vesicularis; Merismus megapterus; Spaniopus dissimilis.

references

Anagnou–Veroniki, Papaioannou–Souliotis, Karanstasi & Giannopolitis (2008a) , Beiger (1989a), Benavent-Corai, Martinez, Moreno Marí & Jiménez Peydró (2004a), Černý (2013a), Cerny & Merz (2006a), Ci̇velek, Çikman & Dursun (2008a), Darvas, Skuhravá & Andersen (2000a), Dempewolf (2001a), Hering (1957a), Morrison-III, Gibson & Szendrei (2014a), Papp (2009a), Robbins (1991a), Papp & Černý (2015a), Spencer (1966c, 1972a, 1973b, 1976a), Süss (1982a, 1992a), von Tschirnhaus (1999a, 2000a).