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Dialectica scalariella

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Echium leaf miner
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gracillariidae
Genus: Dialectica
Species:
D. scalariella
Binomial name
Dialectica scalariella
(Zeller, 1850)
Synonyms
  • Gracilaria scalariella Zeller, 1850

Dialectica scalariella (echium leaf miner) is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is found from France to the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and the Balkan Peninsula. Recently an imago was found in Great Britain. It was introduced in Australia for the biological control of the weed Echium plantagineum and has since spread to New Zealand.

The larvae feed on Anchusa strigosa, Borago, Cynoglossum creticum, Echium aculeatum, Echium giganteum, Echium plantagineum, Echium vulgare, Myosotis latifolia and Symphytum officinale. They mine the leaves of their host plant.

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