Stephensia brunnichella (Linnaeus, 1767)
basil dwarf
Clinopodium vulgare, Belgium, prov. Liège, Modave, 16.xi.2018 © Philippe Vanmeerbeeck: primary mines
primary and secondary mine
larva
exuvium
mine
Egg elongate, with strong longitudinal ridges, at the underside of the leaf, in the basal part, near the midrib. The egg is partly inserted into the leaf tissue. The mine begins as a long, narrow, full depth gallery running towards the leaf tip; frass here in a narrow central line. After the leaf tip has been reached a large, full depth, brown blotch is made. Much silk is deposited within, strongly contracting the mine and making it opaque. Frass lies in big black lumps here either in the oldest part, or in the centre, of the blotch. The larvae are capable of leaving their mine and restarting elsewhere, in which case the initial corridor is missing. Larvae of the first generation hibernate in the mine. Pupation external, in a white spinning, often between the leaves of the hostplant.
host plants
Lamiaceae, narrowly oligophagous
Clinopodium nepeta & subsp. glandulosum, vulgare; Origanum.
phenology
Larvae from autumn till April, then again in July (Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen, 1977a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2010).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2010).
LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2010).
distribution within Europe
Most of Europe; missing in Spain, the Mediterranean Islands, and the Balkan Peninsula (Fauna Europaea, 2010).
larva
See Steuer (1987a) and Baran (2010a); greenish, head and thoracic plate black.
pupa
See Patočka (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).
synonyms
Stephensia staudingeri Nielsen & Traugott-Olsen, 1981 – see Parenti & Pizzolato (2014a).
references
Aarvik, Bakke, Berg ao (1997a), Baldizzone (2004a), Baran (2005a, 2010a), Baran, Mazurkiewicz & Palka (2007a), Beiger (1979a), Bidzilya, Budashkin & Zhakov (2016a), Bland (1996a), Buhr (1935a), Buszko & Beshkov (2004a), Gielis, Huisman, Kuchlein ao (1985a), Hering (1924a, 1957a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ellis (2009a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Nielsen & Traugott-Olsen (1978a, 1981a), Parenti & Pizzolato (2014a), Parenti & Varalda (1994a), Patočka (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (1998a), Robbins (1991a), Skala (1949a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Sruoga & Ivinskis (2005a, 2011a), Steeman & Sierens (2020a), Steuer (1987a, 1995a), Šulcs (1996a), Szőcs (1977a), Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977a), Wörz (1957a).