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Phyllonorycter blancardella (F.)
Lithocolletis blancardella

Insecta, Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae .

Blotch miner, Spotted tentiform miner

Description, Biology, Life Cycle, Damage, Common Names, Images

[R]Description
- Adult: small, wingspan 8 to 9 mm. Silvery grey head; fore wings narrow and golden brown, with large white or yellowish stripes, heavily fringed. Hind wings very narrow with wide fringes (*) .
- Egg: lenticular.
- Larva: 7 to 8 mm long, yellow to brownish at the edge of the body, pale brown spots on the 7th and 8th segments.

[R]Biology
-This very common miner attacks many plants, in particular, apple, pear and sorbus.
-The moth lays its eggs on the underside of the leaf.
-The caterpillar lives as a miner on the upperside of the leaf. The mine is oval, swollen and covered with small grey spots. On the underside of the leaf, the epidermis is brownish and wrinkled. the frass is grouped in the central area of the mine, amongst small silken threads. The larva pupates in the leaf.
- 3 or 4 generations follow one another during the year.
- The insect overwinters in the pupal stage in the previous year's leaf. Oviposition occurs just after the moths emerge. The 2nd and 3rd generations overlap and the caterpillars are active in orchards from May to November.

[R]Damage
Damage is visible due to the transparence of the upperside of the leaf, in the form of whitish marks (*) . Damage is not very severe, except in case of heavy infestations.

[R]Common Names
DE: Faltenminiermotte, Apfelblattütenmotte, Taschenminiermotte ES: Minadora FR: Phyllonorycter, Mineuse marbrée IT: Litocollette inferiore delle pomacee. PT: Lagarta mineira marmórea GB: Spotted tentiform miner, Blotch miner

[R] Images

  1. Phyllonorycter blancardella (F.) Damage on apple The larva mines within the lamina, without eating the veins, which gives a reticulated appearance to the mine.
  2. Phyllonorycter blancardella (F.) Moth on an apple leaf (Coutin R. / OPIE)

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