Bedellia somnulentella (Zeller, 1847)

bindweed bent-wing

on Convolvulaceae

Convolvulus arvensis, Belgium, prov. Liège, Wanze, Statte (station): corridor mines © Jean-Yves Baugnée

Calystegia sepium, Germany (Baden-Württemberg), Baden-Weiler

Calystegia sepium, Nieuwendam, larva, half immersed in the mine

Calystegia sepium, Brummen; initial mine

the larva lies venter-upwards in the mine

Calystegia soldanellaBelgium, prov. West Flanders, Oostduinkerke, RN Schipgatduinen © Stéphane Claerebout

two larvae in a communal mine

mine

The mine begins at an egg shell that almost invariably is placed on (not next to) the midrib. The egg is oval, not globular, like in the Nepticulidae. Here a narrow tortuous corridor of some 30 mm begins, with a central frass line, reminding of a Stigmella mine, that often cuts off part of the leaf, causing it to die. Then the larva leaves this mine and begins to make a series of full depth fleck mines (not necessarily on the same leaf). The larva is larger than the mine, and protrudes from it with the rear part of its abdomen. The openings to all these mines are in the lower epidermis. Under the leaf an irregular spinning develops, in which frass grains are trapped. Pupation outside the leaf, in a hammock, like in Lyonetia, but, unlike Lyonetia, not in a cocoon.

host plants

Convolvulaceae, oligophagous

Calystegia pubescens, sepium, soldanella; Convolvulus althaeoides & subsp. tenuissimus, arvensis, siculus, tricolor; Ipomoea batatas, purpurea.

phenology

Larvae from July on.

BENELUX

BE recorded (Kuchlein, Kuchlein-Nijsten & De Prins, 2002a).

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

LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Cosmopolitan (Klimesch, 1975a); all of Europa (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

pupa

Described by Patočka (1997a, 2000a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

notes

Not a common species in the Netherlands, but strikingly numerous during the warm summer of 2003 (van As & Ellis, 2004a).

references

Aguiar & Karsholt (2006a), Amsel & Hering (1931a), van As & Ellis (2004a), Baldizzone (2004a), Baldizzone & scalercio (2018a), Barton (2015a), Baryshnikova (2007a), Beiger (1979a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Buhr (1930a, 1935a, 1964a), Buszko (1981a, 1992b), Buszko & Beshkov (2004a), Corley, Rosete, Gonçalves ao (2016a), Drăghia (1968a, 1970a, 1974a), Grandi (1931a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1927a, 1932e,g, 1936b, 1957a, 1967a), Huber (1969a), Huemer & Erlebach (2003a), Huertas Dionisio (2002a, 2007a), Huisman & Koster (1995a, 1997a, 1999a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2004a), Huisman, Koster, Muus & van Nieukerken (2013a), Kasy (1965a, 1979a), Klimesch (1942a, 1950c, 1957a, 1958c, 1979a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein, Kuchlein-Nijsten & De Prins (2002a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kuroko (1964a), Kvičala (1938a), Lhomme (1934c), Maček (1999a), Parenti & Varalda (2000a), Patočka (1997a, 2000a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Pinzari, Pinzari & Zilli (2013a), De Prins (2010a), Robbins (1991a), Seven (2006a), Skala (1951a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Szőcs (1977a, 1978a, 1981a), Ureche (2010a).