Case — bearing Miners

Abstract

The species which in the larval stage bear a portable case externally on the plant, but are able to mine as they wander from leaf to leaf, represent a transition between permanent and temporary miners. In the biology of their feeding they do not differ from other mining insects; they likewise consume the parenchyma of the leaf and leave the epidermis little damaged. Apart from a few species the larva does not leave its case while feeding; it spins the mouth of the case to the leaf, and gnaws a hole in the epidermis through which it penetrates with its fore-body into the leaf and consumes the mesophyll; the end of its body remains in the case, to which the larva retires for rest and to void its excrement. The frass is ejected through the rear end of the case. Only a few species move right outside their spun-up case and penetrate for any considerable distance into the leaf; they return, however, to the case whenever they wish to move to another leaf. These species thus combine free-living on the plant, by which they are not tied down to a single leaf or to leaves in the immediate vicinity, with the otherwise normal habits of the miner.

The online version of the original chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7196-8_32