Pteridium aquilinum, Belgium, prov. Namur, Viroinval © Stéphane Claerebout

Pteridium aquilinum, Maarn

mine

The larva mines the lower surface of rachis, close to the leaf tip. The upper surface is left intact, resulting in growth disturbance that causes the leaf tip to strongly curl downwards. Larva generally solitary. Pupation within the roll.

host plants

Dennstaedtiaceae, monophagous (?)

Pteridium aquilinum.

Also other host plants are mentioned: Asplenium (Hering, 1957a) and Dryopteris (Sønderup, 1949a; Kolomoec ao, 1989a), but that needs further confirmation.

phenology

Mines from August to October; rather rare. Hibernation as puparium, that has fallen to the ground (Brown & McGavin, 1982a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Gosseries & Ackland, 1991a).

NE recorded (de Meijere, 1911a).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007a).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsula, the Alps and Serbia, and from Ireland to Poland; also parts of European Russia (Fauna Europaea, 2007a).

larva

synonyms

Chirosia parvicornis: auct, incl. de Meijere (1911a) and Hering (1957a).

references

Béguinot (2006a,b, 2007b), Brown & McGavin, (1982a), Buhr (1964a), Chinery (2011a), Dauphin & Aniotsbehere (1997a), Gosseries & Ackland (1991a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Kolomoec ao (1989a), Lambinon, Carbonnelle & Claerebout (2015a), de Meijere (1911a), Neascu & Poroseanu (1990a), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Robbins (1991a), Roskam (2009a), Sønderup (1949a), Spooner & Bowdrey (2012a), Zoerner (1969a).