Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Belgium, prov. Liège, Eupen; © Jean-Yves Baugnée

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Belgium, prov. Liège, Lierneux, fagne de la Crépale: young mine; © Jean-Yves Baugnée

mine

Oviposition at the underside of the leaf. The mine begins as a long corridor, with the frass in a thick central line. This gallery abruptly widens into a large full depth blotch, with a central concentration of frass. The full-grown larva makes an exit slit in the lower epidermis, then spins within the mine an orange-yellow cocoon, that is connected with the exit by a silken tunnel. The cocoon causes the leaf to pucker blister-like (Johansson ao, 1990a).

host plants

Ericaceae, narrowly monophagous

Vaccinium vitis-idaea.

phenology

Larvae from autumn till May of the following year (Emmet, 1983a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Fennoscandia and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Italy, and from Britain to central Russia.

larva

Pale amber, head light brown.

synonyms

Nepticula, Stigmella, Ectoedemia, weaveri.

references

Anisimovas, Diškus & Stonis (2006a), Bengtsson (2008a), Borkowski (1969a), Buhr (1964a), J Černý (2001a), Diškus & Stonis (2012a), Emmet (1983a), Gielis, Huisman, Kuchlein ao (1985a), Gustafsson (1985a), Gustafsson & van Nieukerken (1990a), Haase (1942a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1921b, 1957a), Huemer (2012a), Johansson ao (1990a), Klimesch (1989a), Kozlov & Kullberg (2010a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kurz (2016a), Laštuvka & Laštuvka (1997a), van Nieukerken (1986a), van Nieukerken, A & Z Laštuvka (2006a), van Nieukerken, Zolotuhin & Mistchenko (2004a), Nowakowski (1954a), De Prins & Steeman (2011a), Robbins (1991a), Skala (1939a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Szőcs (1977a), Zaberga, Legzdina, Otfinowski & Obelevičius (2014a).