Food Plant: Elymus athericus (Sea Couch Grass)

Egg: upperside of leaf

Mine: November-April

Notes: The young mines are more visible on the underside of the leaf, where they are dark brown; the upperside view of the mine is less visible, being pale blackish-grey. Mining is upwards in the leaf, with mines being straight and thin; averaging 28.1 mm in length. The larvae overwinter in the leaf, emerging in the spring to mine fresh leaves. These early spring mines initially resemble those of the previous autumn but finally widen to almost the full width and depth of the leaf. They may change leaves during this development. The larvae exit the leaves to pupate. (Langdon, 2026). The pupa is shown in dorsal, ventral and lateral view (top to bottom photo).

Data: 29.iv.2025 ex mine 08.ix.2024 , Hurst, Hampshire, VC11

Image:© Will Langdon