Wednesday 8 October 2014

Help, please.

On the subject of leaf-mines, here are some I found in an unidentified Willowherb in Denham Garden Village the other day.


They remind me of Stigmella or, more likely, Buccularix mines, but I can find nothing like them on any of the websites. They look like they were vacated some time ago.
Does anybody know what they might be?
Andy King.

2 comments:

  1. The Dutch site suggests that some of the Mompha species create a short corridor before moving on to form their blotch (which could be on a different leaf). Wonder if it might be that?

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    Replies
    1. Aha! Well spotted, Dave. I had discounted the Momphas. But, if I had read to the end of some of the species accounts it does indeed mention it. They may well be starter-mines, with the larvae leaving the mines to start on their blotch mines or galls elsewhere. Particularly, the raschkiella early mines can turn red around the edges. So, not proven, but likely.
      Thanks, Dave.
      Andy.

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