Saturday 1 September 2012

Acrolepia autumnitella at Llanrhidian

Occupied blotch mines of this poorly recorded species are very prominent on Bittersweet at the moment.

10 comments:

  1. Nice photo Barry.

    I saw lots of these mines on Somerset levels recently - almost every plant seemed to be occupied.

    Worth noting Scobipalpa costella also mines Bittersweet, but the larva has a black head.

    Cheers
    George

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    1. also the mine of costella typically smaller, has frass and is attached to the midrib.

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  2. Talking of high occupancy rates, around 70% of the teasel heads here are host to one or more larvae; either feeding on the seeds (which I think is Cochylis roseana) or the central core, which are probably Endothenia marginana or gentianaeana?

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  3. Does anyone know what might be mining the stems of Hemp Agrimony by the way?

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  4. Possibly the Hemp-agrimony Plume (Adaina microdactyla). It is quite common and made obvious from now on by the swelling with exit hole, at a joint in the stem.

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  5. Adam - if don't already know about it, check out http://www.leafmines.co.uk/index.htm

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  6. Thanks Mark - I'll keep an eye out for the holes!

    And thanks Barry, that looks like a very useful resource. Incidentally, after seeing your post on Gower Wildlife on harvestmen, I keep seeing them everywhere now! Two next to the trap on Friday night including another Dicranopalpus, and several others on my local rambles.

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  7. Only 23 spp in UK so a nice group to look at this time of year

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  8. I've just ordered the FSC laminated sheet on Harvestmen so hopefully I'll be able to work out which one I'm looking at soon!

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