Cosmopterix pulchrimella Chambers, 1875
pellitory cosmet
on Pilea, Parietaria
Parietaria judaica, Greece, Athens © Steve Wullaert
Parietaria judaica, Belgium, prov. West FLanders, Gent, 18.ix.2018 © Ruben Meert
expelled frass
larva in opened mine
Parietaria judaica, Greece, Lesbos, Mitilíni; mine with larva and pupa in some spinning in a leaf fold
detail from above
secondary mine and pupa in folded leaf margin
mine with pupa
mine
Oval, whitish, ribbed egg shell generally at the underside of the leaf. The mine begins as a short irregular corridor, usually following the midrib, widening into an irregular blotch. Some silk is deposited in the mine, causing it to contract a bit. Most frass is ejected through an opening near the begin of the mine; some is trapped in spinning under the leaf. The larva often moves to a new mine. Pupation within the mine (Koster & Sinev, 2003a), in a folded leaf margin or in a leaf fold.
hostplants
Urticaceae, monophagous
Parietaria judaica, officinalis, pensylvanica; Pilea pumila.
phenology
Several overlapping generations.
BENELUX
First observation in the Benelux in 2017 (Belgium, prov. West Flanders, Koksijde; Chris Steeman in iitt.).
distribution within Europe
Southern Europe; recently found in the UK (Fauna Europaea, 2009; Parsons, 2002a; Parsons & Sterling, 2004a).
larva
pupa
synonyms
Cosmopterix parietariae (Hering, 1931); C. turbidella: Chrétien, 1926a.
parasitoids, predators
references
Aguiar & Karsholt (2006a), Chrétien (1926a), Gebiola, Bernardo, Ribes & Gibson (2015a), Hering (1931c, 1936b, 1957a), Klimesch (1942a), Koster & Sammut (2006a), Koster & Sinev (2003a), Lhomme (1934c), Maček (1999a), Mineo ao (1997a), Parsons (2002a), Parsons & Sterling (2004a), Skala (1949a), Steeman & Sierens (2018a), Szőcs (1977a), Utech (1962a).