Argyresthia dilectella Zeller, 1847

juniper argent

mine

The larva bores in the young shoot. Pupation external, in a white silken spinning. According to some authors the larva facultatively lives as a miner, but Friese states that this stems from confusion with A. abdominalis.

host plants

Cupressaceae, oligophagous

Juniperus communis, sabina; Chamaecyparis.

phenology

Larvae from autumn till May; hibernation in the shoot (Agassiz, 1996a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2010).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2010).

LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2010).

distribution within Europe

Check (PESI, 2018); also Iberian Peninsula

larva

Body yellowish green, often with reddish rings; head shining yellowish brown; prothoracic and anal plates brown (Agassiz, 1996a).

synonyms

Blastotere dilectella.

references

Agassiz (1996a, 2004a), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Microlepidoptera in Bayern (2013a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Buhr (1935b), Burmann (1979a), Friese (1969a), Hering (1957a), Huisman & Koster (1998a), Konečná (2013a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Laštůvka & Laštůvka (2017a), Schütze (1899a), Segerer, Haslberger, Grünewald ao (2013a), Stigter & van Frankenhuyzen (1992a).