underside

mine

Initially the larva makes an upper-surface, short, narrow corridor. Later, in early spring, it may abandon this mine and make elsewhere on the leaf an irregular full depth blotch, or it may continue the corridor into a blotch. Most frass is ejected through a hole in the mine; part of it is captured in spinning at the leaf underside. In the end the larva lives free under the leaf, causing window feeding.

host plants

Oleaceae, oligophagous

Olea europaea; Phillyrea.

phenology

Mining larvae from autumn till early in the following spring. There are two more larvae generations, one feeding on the flowers, the second on the developing fruits.

BENELUX

Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Mediterranean Region (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Described by Amsel & Hering (1931a).

synonyms

Prays oleella (Fabricius, 1794.

notes

A very serious pest, in particular because of the damage to the flowers and fruits.
An adult that was captured in Britain (Langmaid & Young, 2009a) perhaps indicates that the species has established itself on ornamental olive trees.

references

Amsel & Hering (1931a), Athanasíou & Zárpas (0000a), Buhr (1930a, 1941a), Hering (1932e, 1934d, 1936b, 1957a, 1967a), Klimesch (1942a), Klimesch & Skala (1936a), Langmaid & Young (2009a), Maček (1999a), Vegliante & Zilli (2007a).