Phyllonorycter staintoniella (Nicelli, 1853)

cornish midget

mine

Upper-surface tentiform mine (according to Hering, 1957a, mostly lower-surface in Laburnum). The mine is strongly contracted, almost folding the leaflet to a pod and concealing the mine. Pupa in the mine in a flimsy cocoon, in the basal part of the mine. Pupa always directed towards the petiole (le Marchand, 1926a). Frass in the distal corner of the mine.

host plants

Fabaceae, oligophagous

Cytisus austriacus, procumbens, ratisbonensis, scoparius; Genista pilosa, scorpius, tinctoria, versicolor; Laburnum anagyroides; Lembotropis nigricans.

A & Z Laštuvka (2006a) consider Genista pilosa the main host plant. Beiger (1979a) adds Chamaecytisus hirsutus to the list, but she is uncertain about the identification of the plant. Possibly also Argyrolobium zanonii and Cytisus villosus are hostplants (Hering, 1957a, as Cytisus argenteus and triflorus, respectively).

phenology

Larvae in June – July and August – September (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Sweden tot the Pyrenees, Sardinia, Italy, and Bulgaria, and from Britain to Poland and Romania (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Head pale brown, deep yellow (Emmet ao, 1985) – a very unusual colour for a gracillariid larva. Young larvae with a series of black spots (le Marchand, 1926a).

pupa

Described and illustrated by Gregor & Patočka (2001a) and Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

synonyms

Phyllonorycter tinctoriella Le Marchand, 1926; Ph. desertella Gregor & Povolný, 1949; Gregor & Patočka (2001a) and Patočka & Turčáni (2005a) disagree with this synonymy, basing themselves on details of the morphology of the pupa.

references

Baldizzone & scalercio (2018a), Beiger (1979a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Buhr (1935b), Buszko (1992b), Emmet, Watkinson & Wilson (1985a), Gregor & Patočka (2001a), Hering (1957a), Huemer & Erlebach (2003a), Kasy (1983a, 1987a), Klimesch (1958c, 1989a), Klimesch & Skala (1936b), A & Z Laštuvka (2006a, 2011a, 2014a), Z Laštůvka, A Laštůvka, Liška, Marek, Skyva & Vávra (1992a), le Marchand (1926a), Nel & Varenne (2014a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Povolný & Gregor (1950a), Szőcs (1977a, 1981a).