© Richard GallonSpecies Focus - Holly Leaf-miner (Phytomyza ilicis)
With Christmas just around the corner we thought it would be the ideal time to highlight a festive species to record.
Almost every holly bush has a few mined leaves on it caused by the larva of a small fly Phytomyza ilicis. Fortunately, the leaf mine discolouration is easy to spot and distinctive enough to identify at a distance.
The fly lays its egg on a holly leaf in May–June, and the resulting grub eats away a tunnel within the leaf. After pupation adult flies emerge the following spring to continue their life cycle.
Not many people record Holly Leaf-miners, and there are large areas of North Wales without records of this easy-to-record species. So, next time you walk past a holly tree have a look to see whether you can find this species and record it using the Cofnod ORS or the LERC Wales App.
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