Antispila metallella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

four-spot lift

on Cornus

Cornus sanguinea, Hungary, Kimle, 24.v.2018 © László Érsek

larva in opened mine

Cornus sanguinea, Hungary, Mosonmagyaróvár, 22.vi.2020 © László Érsek: completed mine, with excision

case

case, lighted from behind

opened case

mine

Initially a short corridor close to the leaf margin, suddenly widening into a large blotch, that often overruns the corridor. Finally the larve makes an oval excision of 5.5-7 mm long, and drops with it to the ground. In this excision, that now functions as a case, the larva continues, living free. Before the onset if winter pupation takes place within the case (Kuchlein & van Frankenhuyzen, 1999a).

In preparation of the oviposition, the female makes number of “test punctures”, that often can be seen as a curving row of 2-7 brown spots perpendicular to the initial corridor (Heath & Pelham-Clinton, 1976a).

host plants

Cornaceae, monophagous

Cornus alba, mas, sanguinea.

Also found on C. sericea by Ben van As.C. sanguinea is the most important host plant by far.

phenology

Mining larvae in July – August (Heath & Pelham-Clinton, 1976a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE Uncommon, first found as late as 1950 (Doets, 1950a), but sometimes locally numerous.

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia to the Pyrenees, Italy and Romania, and from Britain to Russia (Fauna Europaea, 2009; van Nieukerken ao, 2012a); Iberia (Laštůvka & Laštůvka, 2015a).

larve

synonyms

Antispila pfeifferella Hübner, 1813.

references

Ahr (1966a), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Microlepidoptera Bayern (2017a), van As & Ellis (2004a), Bengtsson (2008a), Borkowski (2003a), Buhr (1935a, 1964a), Doets (1950a), Drăghia (1967a, 1968a, 1971a), Dziurzynski (1958a), Grandi (1931a, 1933a), Heath & Pelham-Clinton, 1976a), Hellers (2016a), Hering (1924a, 1957a, 1961a), Huber (1969a), Huemer & Erlebach (2003a), Huisman & Koster (1994a, 1995a, 1997a), Huisman, Koster, Muus & van Nieukerken (2013a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2004a, 2005a), Kolbeck, Lichtmannecker & Pröse (2005a), Kollár & Hrubík (2009a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & van Frankenhuyzen (1999a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kurz (2016a), Laštůvka & Laštůvka (2015a), Lhomme (1934c), Maček (1999a), Michna (1975a), van Nieukerken, Wagner, Baldessari ao (2012a), Popescu-Gorj & Drăghia (1968a), De Prins & Steeman (2013a), Robbins (1991a), Roweck & Savenkov (2013a), Sefrová (2005a), Shurmer (2020a), Skala (1949a), Sønderup (1949a), Starý (1930a), Szőcs (1977a, 19981a), Tourlan (2013a), Zoerner (1969a).