Metallus pumilus (Klug, 1816)
raspberry leaf-mining sawfly
on Rubus
Rubus spec., Hungary, Mosonmagyaróvár © László Érsek
underside
mine, lighted from behind
larva in dorsal view …
… lateral …
…and ventral

Rubus spec., Belgium, prov. Limbourg, Lanaken, de Hoefaert © Carina Van Steenwinkel

larva in the mine

Rubus fruticosus, Dronten, Roggebotbos © Hans Jonkman
Rubus fruticosus, Duin en Kruidberg
Rubus fruticosus, Arnhem, Sonsbeek
mine
No visible egg; it is deposited below the upper epidermis, generally close to a major vein. From there begins a short, quickly widening corridor that contains much frass, especially in its first part. The corridor opens into a large, very transparant, almost full depth blotch that often overruns the initial corridor. Frass in loose grains, larger as the larva increases in size. The frass is dry, and in old mines it may accumulate like pepper grains in the lowest part. Larva solitary, belly-up in the mine; firsst abdominal segment ventrally with a brown or black spot, like also in thorax 2 and 3. Prepupa totally white.
host plants
Rosaceae, monophagous
Rubus caesius, fruticosus, idaeus, leptadenes, odoratus, phoenicolasius, radula, rhombifolius, sanctus, saxatilis, spectabilis, vulgaris.
phenology
Mines in June-July and September (van Frankenhuyzen & Freriks, 1972c).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2008).
NE recorded (van Ooststroom, 1976a); in most years a common species.
LUX recorded (Chevin, Ellis & Schneider, 2011a).
distribution within Europe
From Sweden and Finland to the Pyrenees, Italy and Roumania, and from Ireland to the Ukraine (Fauna Europaea, 2008). Also Greece (Standfuss ao).
larva
synonyms
Entodecta pumila.
parasitoids, predators
Achrysocharoides cilla; Pnigalio pectinicornis; Sympiesis sericeicornis.
notes
The raspberry leaf-mining sawfly may also appear in greenhouse crops of blackberries and raspberries, and then cause considerable damage (Burger ao, 1985a).
references
Altenhofer (2003a), Altenhofer, Hellrigl & Mörl (2001a), Amsel & Hering (1931a), Beiger (1979a), Beneš & Holuša (2015a), Blank ao (1998a), Buhr (1930a, 1941a, 1964a), Burger ao (1985a), Chevin, Ellis & Schneider (2011a), Csóka (2003a), Drăghia (1967a, 1968a, 1972a), van Frankenhuyzen & Freriks (1972c), van Frankenhuyzen & Houtman (1972a), van Frankenhuyzen Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Haarder & Liston (2018a), Haase (1942a), Haris (2009a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1957a), Hoop (1983a), Huber (1969a), Kvičala (1938a), Lorenz & Kraus (1957a), Liston (1995b), Maček (1999a, 2012c), Matošević, Pernek, Dubravac & Barić (2009a), Meijer, Smit, Beukeboom & Schilthuizen (2012a), Michalska (1972a), Nowakowski (1954a), van Ooststroom (1976a), Perović, Merdić & Perović (2006a), Pieronek (1962a), Pschorn-Walcher & Altenhofer (2000a, 2006a), Robbins (1991a), Romeijn (1993a), Scobiola-Palade (1974a), Skala (1941a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Stammer (2016a), Standfuss, Liston, Standfuss & Jansen (2010a), Starý (1930a), Stolnicu (2007a, 2008a), Szőcs, Melika, Thuróczy & Csóka (2014a), Taeger, Blank & Liston (2006a), Taeger ao (1998a), Tiberghien (2007a), Ureche (2010a), Viramo (1969a), Wahlgren (1944a, 1951a, 1963a), van Wielink (2020a), Zoerner (1969a, 1970a), Zombori (1976a).