Epinotia nanana (Treitschke, 1835)

small spruce bell

Picea abies, Dronten, Roggebotbos © Hans Jonkman

frass-covered silken tube

from the base the needles are completely mined out

mine

before the hibernation the larva mines a few needles completely out, then hibernates in a needle. After hibernation another number of needles is completely mined out from their base. The mined needles are held together by a frass-incrusted silken tube. Most frass in the tube, a small fraction in the mines. The larva mines all its life. Pupation external, mostly in the soil, sometimes in the tube (Freeman, 1967a; Hering, 1957a).

host plants

Pinaceae, monophagous

Picea abies, sitchensis.

phenology

Larvae from autumn till April, May (Bradley ea, 1979a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).

LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

All Europe, except the Balkan Peninsula (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Offwhite to brownish, head, pronotum and thoracic feet black. Prolegs with c. 22 crochets in a single row. Anal comb absent (Bradley ao, 1979a; Swatschek, 1958a).

synonyms

Steganoptycha nanana.

references

Bradley, Tremewan & Smith (1979a), Buhr (1935b), Disqué (1905a), Duncan (2006a), Freeman (1967a), Hering (1957a), Huisman & Koster (2000a, Kuchlein & de Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Robbins (1991a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Swatschek (1958a), Szőcs (1977a).