Plant Parasites of Europe

leafminers, galls and fungi

Leucoptera malifoliella

Leucoptera malifoliella (O Costa, 1836)

pear-leaf blister moth

Leucoptera malifoliella occupied mine

België, prov. Antwerpen, Meerhout, 20.ix.2015 © Carina Van Steenwinkel: occupied mine

Leucoptera malifoliella mine

Malus sylvestris, Luxemburg, Kautenbach

Leucoptera malifoliella mine

Malus domestica, Belgium, prov. Liège, Awirs: young mine © Jean-Yves Baugnée

Leucoptera malifoliella mine

same mine, magnified

Leucoptera malifoliella mines

Mespilus germanica, Belgium, prov. Hainaut, Thuin, Bois de la Frégène © Jean-Yves Baugnée

Leucoptera malifoliella mine

mine, lighted from behind

Leucptera malifoliella: old mines on Sorbus aucuparia

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

Zagrammosoma talitzkii.

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).

Last modified 24.vii.2023