Cnephasia asseclana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
flax tortrix
broadly polyphagous, mainly on herbs

Ranunculus acris, België, prov. Namen, Beauraing, RN Rend Peine © Stéphane Claerebout: the free living larvae remains in a spun leaf

opened leaf

larva

detail with anal shield and comb

pupa in cocoon
mine
The young larva makes a small, full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues feeding among spun leaves.
host plants
Acer platanoides, pseudoplatanus; Achillea millefolium; Aegopodium; Aesculus hippocastanum; Agrimonia eupatoria; Agrostemma; Ajuga; Alchemilla; Anchusa officinalis; Anemone nemorosa, ranunculoides; Angelica; Antennaria; Anthyllis; Aquilegia; Arabis alpina subsp. caucasica; Arctium; Artemisia vulgaris; Aster; Astragalus; Atriplex; Bellis; Borago; Brassica; Calendula; Caltha; Campanula; Carum; Centaurea; Cerastium; Chaerophyllum; Chenopodium; Chrysanthemum; Cirsium; Claytonia; Conopodium; Coronilla; Cortusa; Crataegus; Crepis; Cynoglossum germanicum; Dactylis; Datura; Daucus; Dianthus; Digitalis; Diplotaxis; Echium; Eranthis; Eupatorium; Euphorbia; Fagopyrum; Fagus; Fragaria; Fumaria; Galega; Genista; Gentiana; Geranium; Geum; Glechoma; Glyceria; Helenium; Heracleum; Hieracium; Hypericum; Hypochaeris; Iberis; Impatiens; Inula; Isatis; Kickxia; Lapsana communis; Lathyrus odoratus; Leontodon; Linaria; Lotus; Lunaria; Lupinus; Malus; Malva; Matricaria; Medicago; Melampyrum cristatum, pratense; Melilotus; Mentha longifolia; Menyanthes trifoliata; ; Milium; Mimulus; Myosotis; Myricaria germanica; Onobrychis;Ononis; Origanum; Oxyria digyna; Papaver; Pastinaca; Pelargonium; Peucedanum; Phacelia; Phaseolus; Phaseolus; Phlomis tuberosa; Pisum; Plantago; Poa; Polemonium; Polygonum; Potentilla; Prenanthes; Primula; Prunella; Pulicaria; Ranunculus; Raphanus; Rheum‘ Rosa; Rubus; Rudbeckia; Rumex; Salix triandra; Salvia; Saxifraga; Scabiosa; Scrophularia; Sedum; Senecio; Sinapis; Sisymbrium; Solidago; Stachys recta; Stellaria; Taraxacum; Teucrium; Thesium rostratum; Trifolium; Trigonella; Trollius; Tulipa; Tussilago; Urtica; Vaccinium; Valeriana; Verbascum; Verbena; Veronica; Viburnum lantana; Vicia faba; Viola; Vitis; Zinnia.
phenology
Univoltine; hibernation as young larva
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
Entire Europe (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
Body yellowish brown to grey. Head pale brown to brown. Prothoracic and anal plate blackish brown with a light anterior margin. Pinacula black (contrary to C. incertana); segment 10 with an anal comb (contrary to C. stephensiana). See Mackay, Swatschek for a detailed description of chaetotaxy and morphology, Schmid for pictures.
pupa
See Patočka & Turčáni.
synonyms
Cnephasia interjectana Haworth, 1811; C. virgaureana Treitschke, 1835.
notes
Despite the long list of host plants, mines in practice are found only very rarely in the Netherlands.
references
Ahr (1966a), Beiger (1955a), Bradley, Tremewan & Smith (1973a), Budashkin & Savchuk (2010a), Buhr (1935a, 1953a), Fazekas (2014c), Hancock & Bland (2015a), Hering (1934b, 1957a), Huber (1969a), Huemer (2012a), Klimesch (1989a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Lepiforum (2019), Mackay (1962a), Meijerman & Ulenberg (2000a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Robbins (1991a), Schmid (2019a), Skala (1951b), Sønderup (1949a), Swatschek (1958a), Szőcs (1977a).