Alnus glutinosa, Ackerdijkse Plassen

Alnus glutinosa, Belgium, Viroinval

mine

Oviposition at the leaf underside, always against a vein. Then a full depth, fairly slender corridor, often several in a leaf. Frass line very variable, sometimes coiled, mostly more than on third of the width of the corridor. Pupation outside the mine.

hostplants

Betulaceae, monophagous

Alnus glutinosa, cordata, incana, orientalis, subcordata, viridis.

phenology

There are two generations per year (Johansson ao, 1990a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

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

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Entire Europe, except the Balkan peninsula and possibly Spain (Fauna Europaea, 2009); Cyprus (Barton, 2015a).

larva

Yellow, with a grey-brown patch on the prosternum (Johansson ao, 1990a). The larva mines venter-upwards (Emmet, 1983a). Abdominal segment 1 ventrally not spinulose (Johansson ea, 1990a).

synonyms

Nepticula glutinosae; Stigmella rubescens (Heinemann, 1871).

notes

It is not well possible to definitely discriminate a single mine from the one of Stigmella alnetella, unless a larva is available.

Erik van Nieukerken (pers. comm.) found the mine depicted below on Birch. The mine resembles St. luteella, but lacks the characteristic beginning. A study of the larval DNA showed that glutinosae was involved. Obviously, it now has to be established how frequently the species uses Birch as as hostplant.