Leucoptera laburnella
Encyclopedia
The Laburnum Leaf Miner (Leucoptera laburnella) is a moth
in the Lyonetiidae
family. It is found in most of Europe
, except the European part of Russia
and the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is also found in North America
.
The larvae feed on Astragalus
, Chamaecytisus supinus, Genista tinctoria
, Laburnocytisus adamii, Laburnum alpinum
, Laburnum anagyroides
, Lupinus polyphyllus
and Petteria ramentacea. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mines are undistinguishable from those of Leucoptera genistae
The mine starts as a densely contorted corridor, that quickly turns brown. It is followed by a more or less straight corridor entirely filled with greyish-green frass
. Then it widens into a round blotch that overruns the earlier corridor and in the end may occupy half of a leaflet. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
in the Lyonetiidae
Lyonetiidae
Lyonetiidae is a family of moths. These are small, slender moths, the wingspan rarely exceeding 1 cm. The very narrow forewings, held folded backwards covering the hindwings and abdomen, often have pointed apices noticeably up- or down-turned. The larvae are leaf miners.The families Bucculatricidae...
family. It is found in most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, except the European part of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is also found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The larvae feed on Astragalus
Astragalus
Astragalus is a large genus of about 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, Chamaecytisus supinus, Genista tinctoria
Genista tinctoria
Genista tinctoria, with common names: Dyer's Broom, Dyer’s Greenweed, Dyer's Whin, Furze, Greenbroom, Greenweed, Waxen Woad, Woad Waxen and Waxen Wood, is a plant species of the genus Genista.-Description:...
, Laburnocytisus adamii, Laburnum alpinum
Laburnum alpinum
Laburnum alpinum is a leguminous flowering tree. It flowers in late spring, bearing panicles of yellow pea-like flowers. It is distributed in middle and southeast Europe.-References and external links:* USDA Plant Info...
, Laburnum anagyroides
Laburnum anagyroides
Laburnum anagyroides is a species of small deciduous trees or large shrubs up to 7 m tall in the genus Laburnum, native to Central and Southern Europe. It is a popular ornamental plant, along with the other species in the genus, L. alpinum, and especially the hybrid between them, L. × watereri. L...
, Lupinus polyphyllus
Lupinus polyphyllus
Lupinus polyphyllus is a species of lupine native to western North America from southern Alaska and British Columbia east to Alberta and western Wyoming, and south to Utah and California...
and Petteria ramentacea. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mines are undistinguishable from those of Leucoptera genistae
Leucoptera genistae
Leucoptera genistae is a moth in the Lyonetiidae family. It is found in France, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria.The larvae feed on Genista anglica and Genista germanica. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mines are undistinguishable from those of Leucoptera laburnella The mine...
The mine starts as a densely contorted corridor, that quickly turns brown. It is followed by a more or less straight corridor entirely filled with greyish-green frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
. Then it widens into a round blotch that overruns the earlier corridor and in the end may occupy half of a leaflet. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.