Parectopa ononidis (Zeller, 1839) Species
Last modified: Sept. 6, 2023, 5:42 p.m.
A very rare species in Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Gracillariidae > Subfamily: Ornixolinae > Genus: Parectopa > Species: Parectopa ononidis
- Vernacular names
- Stalkruidmineermot (NL), Clover slender (EN), Hauhechel-Blatttütenfalter (DE)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Fré Ch. 1860. Lépidoptères nouvellement découverts en Belgique. — Annales de la Société entomologique belge 4: 113–115. On page 114. view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Forewing ground colour rather dark brown, sometimes a little lighter towards the apex. Four white striae along the coast and also four striay at the inner margin, a small white spot in the apical area.
Museum specimens
No pictures yet!Specimens in nature
Mine
First instars live in a narrow epidermal gallery on the underside of the leaf, soon enlarging into a blotch.
See also gracillariidae.net and bladmineerders.be.
Bionomics
Second instars feed on the leaf parenchyma in the center of the leaf, gradually extending to other leaf areas. Sometimes, especially in small leaves, the mine occupies the entire leaf area and in such cases, the caterpillar moves to another leaf. Frass is ejected from the mine. Pupation inside the last mine. The species hibernates in the larval stage.
Flight periods
Two generations per year: May–June and August.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Ononis spinosa, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Trifolium medium, Trifolium montanum and Ononis repens
- Host plant (genera):
- Trifolium and Ononis
The caterpillar lives mainly on Ononis spinosa and Trifolium pratense, but it has also been recorded from various other Trifolium species.
