Cerastium arvense, UK, West Norfolk VC28, Weeting Heath © Ian Barton

mine

Eggs are scattered individually over the leaf upper surface; they are only loosely attached to the plant. The egg shell has a honeycomb structure. The larva begins with first mining one of the top leaves completely out. Next the larva moves down to another leaf, by way of a tunnel made in the stem. In this way several leaves are mined out, completely and full depth. In the attacked part of the plant the stem has become translucent; the damage causes the plant tip to wilt off. In the first mines almost no frass is to be found, further down it is deposited in coarse grains. Pupation generally outside the mine (Miles, 1953a).

host plants

Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, (Polemoniaceae); polyphagous

Agrostemma githago; Amaranthus; Arenaria serpyllifolia; Atriplex; Cerastium fontanum subsp, vulgare; Chenopodium; Dianthus; Gypsophila repens; Phlox; Saponaria; Silene vulgaris; Spergularia; Stellaria; Vaccaria.

Also mentioned by Hering (1957a) from Primula. Miles describes in the UK damage to Spinacia.

phenology

Larvae throughout the summer in 2 or 3 generations (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Gosseries & Ackland, 1991a).

NE recorded (Joke van Erkelens in litt., 2014).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, and from the UK to Hungary; also Greece (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

egg, larva, and puparium

described by Miles (1953a) and Dušek (1969a). Mandible of the full grown larva with a single, hook-like, tooth.

synonyms

Hylemyia, Phorbia echinata.

references

Buhr (1964a), Chandler (1998a), Dušek (1969a), Gosseries & Ackland (1991a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Huckett (1971a), Maček (1999a), Miles (1953a), Robbins (1991a), Séguy (1950a), Tischler (1999a).