Succisa pratensis, Belgium, prov. Namur, Viroinval, Matange-la-Grande, lieu-dit “Champ du Tir” © Stéphane Claerebout

mine

The larvae essentially is a borer in the midrib, but makes from there narrow corridors into the blade. In the end also a corridor can be made on top of the midrib. Most frass is deposited within the midrib, to a lesser extent also in the corridors, at the point where they leave the midrib (Hering, 1957a, 1967a). According to Spencer (1976a) the corridors are short in Dipsacus, but longer in Knautia and Succisa. Pupation in the mine, generally in the basal part of the tunnel in the midrib, just below the upper epidermis.

hostplants

Caprifoliaceae, oligophagous

Dipsacus pilosus; Knautia arvensis, dipsacifolia, sylvatica; Scabiosa “bladnikiana” (balcanica?), columbaria; Succcisa pratensis.

phenology

Larvae in May-Agust, and, hibernating, in October-April (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE recorded by Stéphane Claerebout, pictures above.

NE recorded (de Meijere, 1924a).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, and from the UK to Belarus and Slovakia (Fauna Europaea, 2007); also Bulgaria (Beiger, 1980a).

larva

The larva is described by de Meijere (1926a, 1928a), based on material from the Dutch locality Valkenburg.

synonyms

Phytomyza ramosa; Phytomyza olgae Hering, 1925; Phytomyza nigriventris Hendel, 1935. For some time it was assumed that ramosa was a junior synomym of Phytomyza nigritella Zetterstedt, 1848, but this was corrected by Spencer (1976a).

references

Andersen (2013a), Andersen & Jonassen (1994a), Beiger (1960a, 1970a, 1980a), Beuk (2002a), Bland (1992b), Buhr (1932a, 1964a), Černý (2007a, 2011a), Černý & Merz (2005a, 2007a), Černý & Vála (1996a), van Frankenhuyzen Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Griffiths (1962a), Hering (1925b, 1937a, 1957a, 1967a), Huber (1969a), Kabos (1971a), Maček (1999a), Manning (1956a), de Meijere (1924a, 1926a, 1928a, 1939a), Ostrauskas, Pakalniškis & Taluntytė (2003a), Pakalniškis (1998a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Spencer (1953a. 1972b, 1976a), Starý (1930a), von Tschirnhaus (1999a).