Phyllonorycter blancardella (Fabricius, 1761)
brown apple midget

Malus sylvestris, België, prov. Namen, Viroinval, Nismes, RN Montagne-aux-Buis © Stéphane Claerebout

same leaf, underside

the identification has been confirmed by breeding.


Malus domestica, Zweeloo, Pietersberg

Malus domestica Pietersberg, opened mine
mine
Lower surface tentiform mine with a yellow-green epidermis that has a few folds. Pupation within the mine. The pupa is amber or chestnut brown, and lies in a white cocoon. Generally the frass is accumulated in a corner of the mine (like in the lower picture), but sometimes a small quantity is incorporated in the wall of the cocoon.
host plants
Rosaceae, monophagous
Malus astracanica, baccata, coronaria, domestica, floribunda, fusca, ringo, x robusta, sylvestris.
Records in literature from other plant genera, such as (Amelanchier Cotoneaster, Crataegus, Mespilus germanica; Prunus; Pyrus; Sorbus aucuparia, coronaria) are either dubious or concern exceptional observations (Triberti, 2007a).
phenology
Two generations; in Britain larvae are found in May – June and September – October Emmet, Watkinson & Wilson,1985a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
Entire Europe, till the Ukraine and central Anatolia (Triberti, 2007a).
pupa
synonyms
Lithocolletis blancardella; Phyllonorycter concomitella (Bankes, 1899).
notes
An extensive monograph about the morphology and biology of this species has been published by Pottinger & LeRoux (1971a.
A fruit crop pest (Baggiolini, 1960a). Introduced in North America, where too it has become a pest.
references
Anagnou–Veroniki, Papaioannou–Souliotis, Karanstasi & Giannopolitis (2008a), Baggiolini (1960a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Body, Burlat & Giron (2015a), Body, Kaiser, Dubreuil ao (2013a), Bouček (1959a), Braggion (2013a), Briolini (1961a), Buhr (1935b, 1964a), Buszko (1992b), Deutsch (2012a), Deutschmann (2008a), Drăghia (1970a), Emmet, Watkinson & Wilson (1985a), van Frankenhuyzen & Houtman (1972a), van Frankenhuyzen Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Gregor & Patočka (2001a), Haase (1942a), Hartig (1939a), Hellers (2017a), Hering (1921a, 1957a, 1961a), Huber (1969a), Huemer (1988a), Huemer & Erlebach (2003a), Jaworski (2009a), Kirichenko, Augustin & Kenis (2018a), Klimesch (1950c), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kvičala (1938a), A & Z Laštůvka (2011a, 2014a), Leutsch (2011a), Maček (1999a), Matošević, Pernek, Dubravac & Barić (2009a), Nel & Varenne (2014a), Nowakowski (1954a), Olivella (2002a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Pinzari, Pinzari & Zilli (2013a), Plóciennik, Pawlikiewicz & Jaworski (2011a), Pottinger & LeRoux (1971a), Robbins (1991a), Schmid (2019a), Schütze (1931a), Sefrová (2005a), Skala (1941a, 1951a), Starý (1930a). Sønderup (1949a), Šumpich (2017a), Szőcs (1977a, 1978a, 1981a), Tourlan (1980a), Triberti (2007a), Zoerner (1969a, 1970a).