Batrachedra pinicolella (Zeller, 1839)

pine cosmet

mine

The larva lives in a silken tube, covered with fragments of bark and lichen on the bark of the older part of a branch. From this tube the larva mines the basal half of a number of leaves. The larva moults in the tube, and pupates in a side branch of it.

hostplants

Pinaceae, oligophagous

Abies; Picea abies; Pinus.

Picea is the main host plant. The occurence on Pinus needs confirmation.

phenology

Larvae from September till May.

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

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

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Almost all Europe, except Ireland, the Mediterranean islands and the Balkan Peninsula (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Mining larva yellow brown with black head and pronotum and exceptionally long setae (Patočka, 1960a).

pupa

Described by Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

synonyms

Eustaintonia pinicolella.

references

Buhr (1935b), Hering (1957a), Koster (2002a), Koster & Sinev (2003a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Patočka (1960a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Skala (1949a), Sønderup (1949a), Szőcs (1977a), Wood (1887a), Wieser & Huemer (1999a).