Recurvaria nanella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
brindled groundling
on Prunus, etc.
Prunus cerasifera, Hungary, Budapest, 5.x.2017 © László Érsek
mine, upper side
same mine, underside
larva
another image
Pyrus communis, Belgium, Liège, 4.x.2010 © Jean-Yves Baugnée
detail
Malus domestica, Belgium, Liège, 3.x.2010 © Jean-Yves Baugnée
mine
Branched, sometimes stellate, brownish, very transparent, sometimes long corridor that contains almost no frass. All frass is ejected through a number of tiny openings that generally are close to a vein. Only the young larvae live as miners.
host plants
Rosaceae, oligophagous
Amelanchier ovalis; Chaenomeles; Cotoneaster; Crataegus laevigata, monogyna; Cydonia oblonga; Malus domestica, ringo, sylvestris; Mespilus germanica; Prunus armeniaca, avium, cerasus, domestica & subsp. insititia, dulcis, mahaleb, persica, serrulata, spinosa; Pyrus communis; Sorbus.
Also Betula (Requena). At least in Britain Malus, Pyrus, Prunus spinosa are the main host plant (Bland ao, 2002a)
Mentioned by Elsner ao (1999a) also from “Cerasus serratula”; probably Prunus serrulata was intended.
Now and then the species is recorded from Corylus avellana, Rhamnus and Betula. A common acceptance of Birch and Rosaceae is not exceptional, but the other cases probably should be regarded as xenophagy.
phenology
Larvae mine from August to October; after hibernation they live free in the buds and among young leaves (Hering, 1957a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
Almost all of Europe, but missing in Ireland and rare in the North (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
Larva reddish brown; head and prothoracic plate black (Bland ao, 2002a).
pupa
Described by Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).
notes
Seems to be in decline (Bland ao, 2002a).
Elsner ao (1999a) list also Recurvaria leucoptera (Clerck, 1758) as a miner, living an a long series of Rosaceae, moreover, with question marks, Rhamnus and Acer. However, in the discussion of the biology of this species by Bland ao (2002a) not even a hint to a mining life style is given.
references
Baldizzone (2004a), Baldizzone & Scalercio (2018a), Benander (1937a), Biesenbaum (2001c), Bland, Corley, Emmet ao (2002a), Buhr (1935b, 1964a), Drăghia (1970a, 1972a), Elsner, Huemer & Tokár (1999a), van Frankenhuyzen & Houtman (1972a), van Frankenhuyzen Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Haase (1942a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1932g, 1957a), Huber (1969a), Huemer (1988a, 2012a), Klimesch (1050c, 1958a), Klimesch & Skala (1936a), Kozlov, van Nieukerken, Zverev & Zvereva (2013a), Leutsch (2011a), Lhomme (1934c), Maček (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (2010a), De Prins & Steeman (2011a), Requena (2009a), Robbins (1991a), Sefrová (2005a), Skala (1950a, 1951a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Szőcs (1977a).