Cirsium vulgare, Nieuwendam

mine

Oviposition on top of the midrib. Immediately after emergence the larva gnaws a cavity in the midrib, and from there an irregular blotch is made adjacent to the midrib. The larva continues living in the midrib that is gradually hollowed out, making from there broad, brownish, full depth excursions in the blade. The mine contains much frass; most of it is concentrated in the area immediately bordering the midrib. Older, no longer occupied parts of the mine often split open. Mines mainly on the lower leaves. The slender larvae move surprisingly fast upon disturbance; when they rest (at daytime) they lie lengthwise in the hollowed midrib. Pupation outside the mine,

host plants

Asteraceae, monophagous

Carduus acanthoides, crispus, defloratus & subsp. glaucus, nutans; Cirsium acaulon, arvense, canum, ciliatum, eriophorum, erisithales, helenioides, monspessulanum, oleraceum, palustre, rivulare, spinossissimum, tuberosum, vulgare.

Records from Carlina vulgaris and Tussilago farfara zijn are probably incidental. Reports from Onopordum are dubious. Records from Centaurea benedicta, scabiosa and Serratula tinctoria probably refer to Scrobipalpa pauperella (Sattler, 1986a, Jansen, 1999a; Bland ao, 2002a). Seen in this light also the references to Artemisia campestris are Tanacetum vulgare (Elsner ao, 1999a) not very probable.

phenology

Full grown larvae in the first three weeks of July and the second half of September; hibernation as pupa (Jansen, 1999a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

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

LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Entire Europe (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

pupa

Described by Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

synonyms

Gnorimoschema, Lita, Phthorimaea, acuminatellum; Gnorimoschema, Phthorimaea alpicolella: Klimesch (1951b, 1958a), Hering (1957a) nec Bryotropha alpicolella Heinemann, 1870 [cf. Sattler (1986a) and Karsholt & Rutten (2005a)].

notes

Bland (1992a) found in Scotland a mine on Tussilago farfara the resembled a mine of Scrobipalpula tussilaginis (perhaps a bit smaller), but eventually produced Scrobipalpa acuminatella. The fact that despite much effort only one mine was found, and that Tussilago is not the normal host plant of acuminatella suggests that this was an incidental observation.

references

Ahr (1966a), Baldizzone (2004a, 2008a), Beiger (1955a, 1970a, 1979a), Bland (1992a), Bland, Corley, Emmet ao (2002a), Buhr (1930a, 1935a, 1964a), Corley, Maravalhas & Passos de Carvalho (2006a), Elsner, Huemer & Tokár (1999a), Gielis, Huisman, Kuchlein, van Nieukerken, van der Wolf & Wolschrijn (1985a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Huemer (2012a), Huemer & Karsholt (2010a), Huisman & Koster (2000a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ellis (2007a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2005a), Jansen (1999a), Kaitila (1996a), Kasy (1965a), Klimesch (1951b, 1958a,c), Klimesch & Skala (1936a), Kovács & Kovács (2022a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Landry ao (2013a), Maček (1999a), Michalska (1970a, 1976a), Nowakowski (1954a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (2010a), Requena (2009a), Robbins (1991a), Sattler (1986a), Skala (1950a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Szőcs (1977a, 1981a), Zoerner (1969a).