Leucoptera malifoliella (O Costa, 1836)
pear-leaf blister moth
België, prov. Antwerpen, Meerhout, 20.ix.2015 © Carina Van Steenwinkel: occupied mine
Malus sylvestris, Luxemburg, Kautenbach
Malus domestica, Belgium, prov. Liège, Awirs: young mine © Jean-Yves Baugnée
same mine, magnified
Mespilus germanica, Belgium, prov. Hainaut, Thuin, Bois de la Frégène © Jean-Yves Baugnée
mine, lighted from behind
Sorbus aucuparia, Lauwersoog © Gerrit Tuinstra: old mines
mine
Oviposition is at the leaf underside, well away from the leaf margin; the egg has a fine reticulate surface (Mey, 1988a). The mine is a rather large, perfectly circular blotch without a trace of a preceding corridor. Around the dark centre the frass, glued to the upper epidermis, is arranged in distinct arcs. Pupation external.
host plants
Betulaceae, Rosaceae; narrowly polyphagous
Alnus incana; Amelanchier ovalis; Aronia; Betula pendula, pubescens; Chaenomeles japonica; Cotoneaster integerrimus; Crataegus crus-galli, monogyna; Cydonia oblonga; Malus baccata, domestica, floribunda, sylvestris; Mespilus germanica; Prunus avium, cerasifera, cerasus, domestica & subsp. subhirtella, fruticosa, spinosa, “subhirtella”; Pyrus communis; Sorbus aucuparia.
phenology
Larvae from June till October in three generations (Wörz, 1957a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
Entire Europe (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
pupa
Described by Patočka (2000a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).
synonyms
Leucoptera, Cemiostoma scitella (Zeller, 1839).
parasitoids, predators
notes
When the species occurs on Crataegus confusion may arise with Stigmella paradoxa. In that species however oviposition occurs never more than a few mm removed from the leaf margin.
references
Aguiar & Karsholt (2006a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Borkowski (2003a), Briolini (1961a), Buhr (1935a,b, 1937a, 1964a), Buszko (1981a, 1992b), Csóka (2003a), Corley, Rosete, Romão ao (2015a), Drăghia (1972a), Embacher, Kurz, Kurz & Gros (2011a), Emmet (1985a), van Frankenhuyzen (1973a), van Frankenhuyzen & Houtman (1972a), van Frankenhuyzen Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Haase (1942a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1921a, 1927b, 1933b, 1957a), Klimesch (1950c, 1957a, 1958c), Kollár & Hrubík (2009a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), ME & MA Kurz (2007a), Kvičala (1938a), Lhomme (1934c,d), Maček (1999a), Mey (1988a, 1994a), Parenti & Varalda (2000a), Patočka (2000a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Plóciennik, Pawlikiewicz & Jaworski (2011a), De Print (2008d), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Sefrová (2005a), Seven (2006a), Skala (1941a, 1951a), Sønderup (1949a), Stammer (2016a), Starý (1930a), Szőcs (1977a, 1981a), Wörz (1957a).