Mine: Summer and Autumn

Notes: Forms a long narrow greenish mine. The puparium is white and forms at the end of the mine, underneath the leaf. The adult was reared and emerged 13.viii.2017. A common and widespread miner. These mines are identical to those of P.autumnalis and can only be separated by larval and puparium features. The puparium of P.spinaciae is white whereas P.autumnalis is black - of course, P.spinaciae could be parasitised causing it to blacken. So recording P.autumnalis based on a black puparium isn’t safe, so it is best to rear. P.autumnalis mines occur in October and November, so there may be some overlap with P.spinaciae

Data: 07.viii.2017, Hessle,South-east Yorkshire, VC61

Image:© Barry Warrington

Recording Grade: 4

References:
Griffiths, GCD (1959) A new species of Phytomyza (Dipt., Agromyzidae) near Phytomyza affinis Fallén. Entomologists’ Gazette 10: 101-106.
Hering, M (1957) - Bestimmungstabellen der Blattminen von Europa.
Robbins, J (1990) - A Provisional Atlas of The Leaf Miners of Warwickshire.
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.