Populus x canescens, Hungary, Mosonmagyaróvár © László Érsek

larva in the mine

larva taken out of the mine

cocoon in the leaf margin

pupa dorsal

pupa lateral

pupa ventral

Populus alba, Nieuwendam

Populus x canescens, Duin en Kruidberg: mine on quite young leaf

Populus alba, Oegstgeest, kasteel Endegeest: pupation site © Camiel Doorenweerd

larva in the mine

mine

Very long, rather broad, strictly epidermal, corridor that curves in dense loops over the leaf upperside, without ever crossing itself. Frass in a vague continuous central line. The gallery ends upon the leaf margin, where it widens a little, while the leaf margin folds over somewhat. Here pupation takes place, not in a cocoon.

host plants

Salicaceae, monophagous

Populus alba, x canescens, tremula.

phenology

Larvae in June – July and August – September (Emmet ao, 1985a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

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

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Britain to Bulgaria, and from Poland to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy.

pupa

synonyms

See Phyllocnistis labyrinthella about the possible synonymy with Ph. xenia.

notes

The species was described by Hering only in 1936, upon material from southern Spain. This makes one suppose that in that time the species was uncommon, or perhaps even missing, in NW Europa. Also Lüders (1900a) in in his study of the genus Phyllocnistis does not refer to a species living on Populus alba or x canescens.

references

Adamczewski (1947a), Buszko (1981a, 1992b), Csóka (2003a), Delplanque (1998a), Deutschmann (2008a), Drăghia (1968a, 1972a), Emmet, Watkinson & Wilson (1985a), Hering (1936b, 1957a), Huber (1969a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ellis (2009a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2004a, 2005a), Jaworski (2009a), Kasy (1965a), Klimesch (1957a), Kollár & Hrubík (2009a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kvičala (1938a), Martynova (1955a), Patočka (2001a), Matošević, Pernek, Dubravac & Barić (2009a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Pelham-Clinton (1976a), Popescu-Gorj & Drăghia (1966a), De Prins (1998a), Roweck & Savenkov (2007a), Sefrová (2005a). Sims (2018a), Skala (1951a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Surányi (1942a), Szőcs (1977a, 1978a, 1981a), Ureche (2010a).