Plant Parasites of Europe

leafminers, galls and fungi

Cnephasia incertana

Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835)

light grey tortrix allied shade moth

Cnephasia incertana on Halimione portulacoides

Halimione portulacoides, Frankijk, dép. Pas-de-Calais, Berck-sur-Mer, baie d’Authie, 29.ix.2022 © Stéphane Claerebout

Cnephasia incertana on Halimione portulacoides

the larva

broadly polyphagous on herbs

mine

The larva lives among spun leaves. Rarely the young larva makes a small, full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk is deposited in the mine.

host plants

Acer; Achillea clavennae, millefolium; Aconitum; Adenostyles alpina; Adoxa moschatellina; Aegopodium podagraria; Aesculus hippocastanum; Agrimonia eupatoria; Agrostemma githago; Alchemilla; Androsace; Anthyllis; Aquilegia; Arctium; Armeria maritima; Arnica; Artemisia; Asperula; Aster; Astragalus; Atriplex; Barbarea; Bellis; Brassica napus, rapa; Bryonia; Cakile maritima; Calendula; Caltha; Calystegia sepium; Campanula; Capsella; Cardamine; Carthamus; Carum; Centaurea solstitialis; Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare, glomeratum, semidecandrum; Chaerophyllum; Chenopodium; Chrysosplenium; Cichorium; Cirsium; Claytonia; Colchicum; Conopodium; Convolvulus; Crataegus monogyna, rhipidophylla; Crepis; Cucurbita; Cyclamen; Dactylis; Daucus carota; Delphinium; Digitalis; Dioscorea communis; Dipsacus; Echium; Epilobium hirsutum; Erigeron; Erodium; Erysimum; Eupatorium; Euphorbia; Fagopyrum; Fagus sylvatica; Ficaria verna; Filipendula; Foeniculum; Fragaria; Fumaria; Gagea; Galega; Galeopsis; Genista; Gentiana; Geranium; Geum urbanum; Glechoma; Globularia;Glyceria; Gnaphalium; Halimione portulacoides; Hedera helix; Helianthus; Heracleum; Hirschfeldia incana; Holosteum umbellatum; Humulus lupulus; Hypericum; Hypochaeris; Impatiens, Inula; Isatis; Kickxia; Lactuca; Lamium; Lapsana; Lathyrus niger; Lens culinaris; Lepidium; Leucanthemum vulgare; Lithospermum; Lonicera; Lotus; Lupinus; Lycopus; Lysimachia; Malus; Medicago; Melilotus; Melissa; Milium; Mimulus; Moehringia; Myosotis sylvatica; Myosurus; Neslia; Onobrychis; Ononis; Phalaroides arundinacea; Pimpinella; Plantago; Primula; Pulmonaria officinalis; Ranunculus; Rhinanthus; Ribes; Rumex acetosa; Saxifraga; Scandix; Scorzonera; Scrophularia; Serratula; Silene alba; Sison amomum; Sonchus; Spergularia; Stachys sylvatica; Symphytum; Teucrium; Thlaspi; Trifolium pratense; Trigonella; Tulipa; Tussilago; Umbilicus; Valeriana tripteris; Verbena; Vicia faba; Vitis vinifera; Zinnia elegans.

phenology

Mining larvae in April – June (Hering, 1957a).

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

Larva dark green to blackish; head pale brown, rear margin black. Prothoracic and anal shield shining black brown with a light anterior rim; thoracic feet black. Prolegs wit a double circle of hooks (Swatschek, 1958a). The pinacula are colourless, only the basis of the setae is black (Buhr, 1953a); no anal comb. See Ippolito, Mackay, Swatschek, for a detailed description of the chaetotaxy and morphology.

pupa

See Patočka & Turčáni.

synonyms

Cnephasiella incertana.

notes

Despite the long list of host plants, mines in practice are found only very rarely in the Netherlands.

references

Barton (2015a), Beiger (1955a, 1956a, 1965a), Bradley, Tremewan & Smith (1973a), Buhr (1935a,b, 1953a), Clement (1990a), Corley, Marabuto, Maravalhas ao (2008a), Disqué (1905a), Hancock & Bland (2015a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Huemer (2012a), Ippolito (1997a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Lepiforum (2019), Maček (1999a), Mackay (1962a), Meijerman & Ulenberg (2000a), Michna (1975a), Mitterberger (1931a), Modlinger & Liška (2016a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Robbins (1991a), Sønderup (1949a), Swatschek (1958a), Szőcs (1977a).

Last modified 2.iv.2023