Food Plant: Ilex (Holly)
Mine: Univoltine - Summer to Spring
Pupa: The pupa forms inside the mine.
Notes: Initially in mid-rib then upper surface blotch. Only miner on Holly. Widespread throughout. The early mine is green (as shown). The oviposition scars can be seen on the midrib (underside of the leaf) for this species. Occasionally long thin mines (reminiscent of Lyonetia clerkella) are seen - Hering (1957) thought they were due to parasitism of the ilicis larva, but research by Ellis (2000) indicated that the cause was crushing of the larva by callus formation before it was able to form a blotch. Sometimes a larva will break free from this thin gallery and form a blotch (Ellis, pers. comm).
Please
note the new recording grade, produced in response to the
findings of Papp & Cerný (Papp L & Cerný M,(2020),
Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Hungary. 4. Phytomyzinae III). They examined
adult specimens of
P.ilicis and discovered a second species. The May 2020 newsletter
of the National Agromyzidae Recording Scheme gives full details. A
photograph
of both the mine and the anterior spiracles of the puparium now need
to be recorded. It may also mean that the adult may be reared.
Warrington (2021) examined the adults given by Papp and Cerny and found
that they were in fact P.ilicis. There are at present just
two Holly leaf miners in Europe - P.ilicis and P.jucunda.
P.ilicis is the only species found at present in the UK. Any atypical
mines should be closely examined - in particular the anterior spiracles,
which would help differentiate species; those of P.ilicis are
short and closely spaced, with those of P.jucunda are longer
and bifid.
Agromyzidae Recording Scheme Grade: 2,5
Data: 15.iii.2006, Fleet, Hants, VC12
Image:© Rob Edmunds
References:
Ellis,WN (2000) -Biological notes on the holly leaf miner, Phytomyza
ilicis (Diptera: Agromyzidae). – Entomologische Berichten, Amsterdam
60: 165-170.
Hering,
M (1957) - Bestimmungstabellen der Blattminen von Europa.
Lewis, T & Taylor, LR (1967)- Introduction to experimental ecology:
i-xi. 1-401. Academic Press, London.
Miall,
LC & Taylor LH (1907) - The Structure and life-history of the Holly Fly
-Transactions of the entomological Society of London 1907(2): 259-283
Papp, L. and Cerný, M. (2020) - Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Hungary.
Volume 4. Phytomyzinae III.
Robbins,
J (1990) - A Provisional Atlas of The Leaf Miners of Warwickshire.
Rotheray, GE 2020) - Effects of tissue hardness
on larval feeding in the holly leaf miner Phytomyza ilicis Curtis
(Diptera:Agromyzidae), Dipterist's Digest 27 (2): 143-154
Spencer, K A (1976) - The Agromyzidae of Fennoscandia and Denmark.
Spencer, K.A (1972) - "Diptera: Agromyzidae" Handbooks for the Identification
of British Insects, Royal Entomological Society of London.
Warrington,
BP (2021) - Clarification on the status of Phytomyza ilicis Curtis
(Diptera, agromyzidae), Dipterist's Digest 28 (1): 89-93
Warrington, BP (2021) - Recording the Holly leaf miner Phytomyza ilicis
Curtis, 1846 - an Update, National Agromyzidae Recording scheme Newsltter,
15 1-2
sponsored by Colin Plant Associates (UK) LLP/Consultant Entomologists
