Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Phyllonorycter platani (Staudinger) ( 530 )
A pest of plane ( Platanus ), originating in Asia Minor
but now widely distributed in Mediterranean regions.
The pest has also spread much further north, and now
occurs throughout France and in many other countries,
including Belgium, England, Germany and the
Netherlands.
DESCRIPTION
Adult: 7-9 mm wingspan; fore wings shiny pale golden
ochreous, with whitish, slightly brownish-tinged
markings partly edged with dark brown; hind wings
greyish brown. Larva: up to 4.5 mm long; yellow to
whitish yellow; head brown. Pupa: 3.0-3.5 mm long;
dark brown; a pair of large spines on each of the first
three abdominal segments.
DESCRIPTION
Adult: 8-10 mm wingspan; fore wings golden brown,
with white, dark-edged markings. Larva: up to 6 mm
long; whitish, with a yellowish-brown head.
LIFE HISTORY
Adults occur mainly from April to May, in August and
from late October to late November, females depositing
eggs on the underside of oak leaves. Larvae mine the
underside of the leaves, each forming a light brown,
oval or elongate blotch. The fully grown larva pupates
in a slight cocoon spun to one side of the gallery. The
adult emerges 2-3 weeks later. Larvae are most frequent
in July and October. On holm oak they also occur from
December to March.
LIFE HISTORY
Adults appear in May or June, eggs being laid on
the underside of the leaves, mainly on those on the lower
branches. Larvae feed within the leaves,
forming distinctive blotch mines visible from below.
Occasionally, mines also occur on the upper side of
leaves. There are often several mines per leaf, the blotches
varying considerably in size and sometimes exceeding
20 mm in length. Fully fed larvae pupate within the
feeding gallery, adults of a second generation emerging in
August. Larvae of the second brood complete their
development in the autumn. They overwinter as pupae in
fallen leaves.
DAMAGE
On holm oak, mines develop a strong elongate crease on
their lower surface, distorting the leaf so the blade folds
downwards. The upper surface over the mine becomes
slightly mottled and eventually turns brown. Heavy
infestations significantly disfigure host plants. On
deciduous oak, mines are relatively small. Nevertheless,
they cause some distortion of the leaf, a distinct crease
developing on the upper surface of the leaf blade above
the mine. Mines on beech are also tightly folded
(cf. Phyllonorycter maestingella ).
DAMAGE
Mines disfigure the foliage and, if numerous, cause
considerable deformation of the leaf blade. Attacks on
mature trees are of minor importance but heavy
infestations on nursery trees are troublesome.
530
529
529 Mine of Phyllonorycter messaniella in leaf of
Quercus ilex .
530 Mines of Phyllonorycter platani in leaf of Platanus .
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