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Tag Archives: Stachys sylvatica

Leafmines: Cephalomyza labiatarum

26 Monday Aug 2024

Posted by sconzani in insects, wildflowers

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Tags

Amauromyza labiatarum, British leafmines, Cephalomyza labiatarum, fly mines on Hedge woundwort, Hedge woundwort, leaf-mining fly, Stachys sylvatica

Since I read earlier in the year about the larvae of one of the case-bearing moths living on Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica), I’ve been checking those plants whenever I see them. I’ve not yet found the Coleophora species but, a week or so ago, I did find some leafmines I’d never seen before. These are the larval mines of the fly Cephalomyza (formerly Amauromyza) labiatarum and they can, in fact, be found on a very wide range of plants (the Agromyzidae Recording Scheme website lists the following species: Ajuga, Ballota, Galeopsis, Glechoma, Lallemantia, Lamiastrum, Lamium, Leonurus, Lycopsis, Marrubiam, Melissa, Mentha, Prunella, Satureja, Scutellaris, Stachys, Teucrium, and Verbena). As you can hopefully see from my photos, the larva’s initial feeding creates a long thin line, which later becomes a large blotch mine. You can see more images on the Agromyzidae RS site referenced above and on the British Leafminers website.

240826 Cephalomyza labiatarum

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A colony of Woundwort shieldbugs

11 Tuesday Jun 2024

Posted by sconzani in insects, plants

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Tags

British shieldbugs, Eysarcoris venustissimus, Hedge woundwort, Stachys sylvatica, Woundwort shieldbug

I was actually checking the Hedge woundwort plants growing alongside our local coastal path for leaf-mining moths (of which there were none) when I spotted first one Woundwort shieldbug, then another, and another, and then two mating.

240611 woundwort shieldbugs (3)

In fact, I eventually counted eight, which is more than I’ve ever seen in one spot before. Hopefully, this means their numbers are increasing generally as they are very handsome little bugs.

240611 woundwort shieldbugs (2)

As well as feeding on Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica), the Woundwort shieldbug (Eysarcoris venustissimus) is also partial to the Lamiaceae species of plants, especially White dead-nettle (Lamium album).

240611 woundwort shieldbugs (1)

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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