Hainault Forest Website

Written and Designed by © Brian Ecott

                  LEAF MINERS                      

AQUATIC MINIBEASTS  BUTTERFLIES   DOG BREEDS  DRAGONFLIES  LEAF MINES  MAMMALS  MINIBEASTS  MOTHS  RARE BREEDS   REPTILES  & AMPHIBIANS   

The white snake-like leaf mine on blackberry leaves is commonly seen in the winter months in Hainault Forest. There are many leaf mining fauna to be found in the Forest - here is just a sample. Identification can be sought on the excellent new website being developed at www.leafmines.co.uk

BLACKBERRY Rubus fruticosus  White serpentine mines on Blackberry leaf (far left). Close up (left) shows a long snake-like larval gallery with dispersed frass (waste products). Commonly found.  A micro moth larva Stigmella aurella.  Scan: 28th August 2005 Very common in the forest.

HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera periclymenum Start as a star shape gallery - frass in black lines.  A tiny fly larva Chromatomyia aprilina.    

Photo: 28th Aug. 05. Near Roe's well.

LONDON PLANE Platanus x hispanica  Blotch mine on underside of leaf. Upperside of leaf folded.   A micro moth larva Phyllonorycter platani.   

Photo: 28th August 2005. By visitors centre

FIELD MAPLE Acer campestris  Gallery with green frass.  A micro moth larva Stigmella aceris  Scan: 28th August 2005.

CHERRY Prunus padus.  A blotch mine on the underside of leaf forming a fold on upper side of leaf (top). Mine dissected to show pupa (below).   A micro moth larva Phyllonorycter  cerasicolella.

Scans: 4th October 2005  Found in the plantation.

BEECH Fagus sylvatica  A micro moth larva Stigmella hemargyrella

Snake-like mines between the veins in beech leaf. The frass is coiled at the start of the mine. Inset picture shows a larva. Scan: 26th August 2005.

HORSE CHESTNUT  Aesculus hippocastanum  A micro moth larva Cameraria ohridella      A brown blotch mine (top). There can be several on each leaf/leaflet.  Close up (below) shows two mines each with a circular mass of frass and both containing a larva. Commonly found in the forest on Horse Chestnut although only reached the UK in 2002. Scan: 28th August 2005. Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve.

BEECH Fagus sylvatica  A micro moth larva Phyllonorycter maestingella  Blotch mines on underside of leaf.  Scan: 26th August 2005.

LESSER BURDOCK Arctium minus  A mining fly larva Phytomyza lappae

Very long mines on upper surface of the leaf, which follow the veins. There are several on the leaf above.  Photo: 18th October 2005. Near the lake.

PEAR Pyrus communis  A micro moth larva Phyllonorycter corylifoliella  Blotch mine on upper surface of leaf. Scan: 27th August 2011.

BIRCH Betula pendula   A micro moth larva Stigmella betulicola

Serpentine mine Scan 27th August 2011

LABURNUM Laburnum anagyroides   A micro moth larva  Leucoptera laburnella  Blotch mine on upper surface. Frass in circles. Hainault Lodge Local Nature Reserve   24th June 2013

SWEDISH WHITEBEAM Sorbus intermedia A micro moth larva Phyllonorycter corylifoliella  Blotch mine on upper surface of leaf.      

Scan: 27th August 2011.

HOLLY Ilex aquifolium  A mining fly Phytomyza ilicis

Left: An elongated mine, but often appears as a blotch. The larva has yet to emerge.

Above left: Close up of mine showing successful emergence of the mining fly. The emergence hole is roughly triangular on the top of leaf.

Above right: Close up of mine showing the emergence of a parasite.

The emergence hole is a tiny pinhole on the top or back of leaf.

Scans: 5th March 2006. Hainault Lodge.