Phytosciara halterata (Lengersdorf, 1926)

mine

mine full depth, initially a much branched corridor, irregular in width, in the end almost a blotch. The mine has openings by which part of the frass is ejected. The larvae frequently leave the mine to restart elsewhere. Older larva live free and cause window feeding, often erasing their old mines.

Often two close by leaves are glued together with slime; from there the larvae cause window feeding (Seidel, 1956a).

In Coltsfoot also “pseudo-mines” are made, when the larve eats away the lower epidermis with the leaf tissue, but spares the dense hair cover.

hostplants

broadly polyphagous on low herbs in shady situations

Adoxa moschatellina; Arctium lappa, minus; Caltha palustris; Carduus crispus, nutans; Chrysosplenium alternifolium; Cirsium arvense, oleraceum, palustre, vulgare; Doronicum austriacum; Ficaria verna; Glechoma hederacea; Lactuca alpina; Lamium maculatum; Lobularia maritima; Lycopus europaeus; Menyanthes trifoliata; Myosotis scorpioides, sylvatica; Petasites albus; Plantago major; Prunella vulgaris; Pulmonaria officinalis; Ranunculus acris, breyninus, ficaria, lanuginosus, repens; Senecio ovatus; Silene dioica; Stachys sylvatica; Tussilago farfara.

Most often mentioned is Tussilago farfara.

phenology

Larvae from the end of July (Buhr, 1956a).

BENELUX

Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Finland tot the Alps, and from Britain to Poland; Slovenia (Maček, 1999a; Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Elongated, without feet, but with a recognisable head capsule.

synonyms

Lycoria halterata.

references

Beiger (1965a, 1970a), Buhr (1933a, 1941b, 1956a, 1964a), Hering (1928a, 1931-32f, 1957a), Maček (1999a), Michalska (1970a, 1976a), Mohrig & Menzel (1994a), Ostrauskas, Pakalniškis & Taluntytė (2003a), Pakalniškis (1983a), Seidel (1957a), Skala (1951a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Starý (1930a), Surányi (1942a), Utech (1962a).