Submitted by AJ Cann on Sat, 27/06/2020 - 02:54
Echinops Leaf Miner

Leaf mines aren't always easy to identify, but you can't go wrong with this one. More...

If you know the whereabouts of any Globe Thistle (Echinops) here's a very distinctive leafminer to look out for - no confusion species! The lack of records for the Echinops Leaf Miner, Phytomyza bipunctata, make it difficult to assess the status of this species in Britain and it is rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. We need more records, so please check those thistles - and submit a photo of the host plant along with that of the leaf mine. 

Bonus Tip:
If you have a flatbed scanner on your computer, a good trick for leaf mines is to place the leaf in it backed by a piece of white printer paper. This usually produces very high quality images that are easy to assess. 

 

Comments

Submitted by Peter Smith on Sat, 27/06/2020 - 20:28

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I went to look in the garden and there it was, previously unnoticed.  Thanks for the tip-off.