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.

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), Schmid (2019a), Skala (1949a), Steeman & Sierens (2018a), Szőcs (1977a), Utech (1962a).