Sunday 6 October 2013

Rearing leafminers

I picked up a number of Alder leaves today with 4 different types of (inhabited) leafmines in them.  Can anyone advise on the best way of rearing them on?  Can I keep each leaf in a separate jam jar, and do I need to raise the humidity to help stop the leaf wilting?

After looking at British Leafminers two of them look very much like the mines of  Phyllonorycter kleemannella and Incurvaria pectinea.  Not sure about the others!

3 comments:

  1. Would be wrong time of year for I. pectinea, have you considered Fenusa dohrnii?

    Regards

    Dave

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  2. I've had a look at the F dohrnii pics on British Leafminers and to be honest it looks more like I pectinea to my untrained eye! I wonder if it has been warm enough this year for a second generation perhaps? I will pop some photos up tomorrow if I get a chance as I would definately welcome a second opinion...!

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  3. Rearing them depends on the type of mine. If they are blister mines (Phyllonorycter etc) then wilting shouldn't pose a problem. put the mines in a small box or pot with muslin/netting over one end to allow air flow, and put them somewhere sheltered in the garden where they will not be filled with water.

    Blotch mines or gallery mines need to be treated similarly but with some mossy substrate in the bottom of the pot to act as somewhere for the larva to pupate one they have finished mining.

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