Food
Plant: Anthyllis spp.
(Kidney Vetch) and less frequently Medicago
spp .,
or Ononis
spp. (Restharrow), Onobrychis (Sanfoin),
Trifolium spp (Clover)
Elsewhere: Chamaecytisus , Coronilla ,
Dorycnium , Galega officinalis,
Hippocrepis comosa (Horseshoe
vetch), O.
repens (Common Restharrow), O.
spinosa (Spiny
Restharrow), Oxytropis
pilosa , Phaseolus vulgaris (Common
bean), Trifolium pratense (Red
Clover), T. repens (white
clover), Trigonella
monspeliaca.
Mine: March-May;July-August (on rare occasions December-February)
Notes: Initially mines leaves making whitish blotches with the frass packed at one end of the mine. It then spins the leaves together to form a pod. The second generation on Anthyllis feeds on the flowers and seeds whereas it feeds in spun leaves on Restharrow. A second generation has not been recorded on sainfoin or Clover. Locally common throughout the British Isles. The mining phase is shown on Medicago cf lupulina , with the larva in the mine.
Bradley No: 843
National Status: Local
Gelechiidae Recording Scheme: link
Data: 09.iv.2011, Chimay, Belgium
Image:© Steve Wullaert
References:
Emmet AM and Langmaid JR (2002) The Moths and Butteflies of Great Britain
and Ireland, (4 (2) Gelechiidae
Hering, EM (1957) - Bestimmungstabellen der Blattminen von Europa.
Langmaid JR, Palmer SM and Young MR (2018)
A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland
Robbins J (1989) A Provisional Atlas of the Leaf Miners of Warwickshire
sponsored by Colin Plant Associates (UK) LLP/Consultant Entomologists
