[NatureNS] Lilac Leafminer

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From: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 10:11:43 -0300
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Hi Eleanor,

Yes, I'm certain that this must be the Lilac Leafminer. The symptoms  
are exactly as you describe. I noticed this myself a number of years  
go on the property where I formerly lived, but didn't pay close  
attention to what was causing the problem until this year. If you  
split open any of the mined leaves you should see small, pale  
caterpillars and blackish frass. Later on, the caterpillars leave the  
mined leaves (no pun intended ... :->) and roll up fresh ones. I've  
observed them and they work as team, using silken threads to start  
rolling the leaf in from the tip. When completed, it is wound as  
tight as a cigar and the caterpillars (now getting larger) live  
inside the tube. I have two medium sized lilacs in my backyard, and  
the number of leaf miners on them was uncountably great (they are now  
considerably reduced in numbers ... :->).

In any event, I am interested in other reports from other parts of  
the province, so if any naturens members have lilacs, please let me  
know.

Best wishes,

Chris

On 4-Jul-07, at 9:05 AM, Eleanor Lindsay wrote:

> Hi Chris,
> From your description, I'd say that I and several of my neighbours  
> likely have the infestation you want to know about. I haven't seen  
> the caterpillars but the leaf damage you describe sounds very  
> familiar. Speaking for myself, this has been occurring in  lilacs  
> on my property since I first transplanted some form my neighbours  
> some 26-29 years ago. While I have cut down some over the years  
> because they look so awful by the end of the season, the remaining  
> ones, all similarly affected, still start out looking quite good  
> each spring, and they still produce abundant blooms. Any that have  
> re-grown after being cut down are also  all affected.
> Eleanor Lindsay
> Seabright, St Margarets Bay
>
> c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> I've spent a fair bit of this weekend battling an infestation of  
>> Lilac Leafminer (/Gracillaria syringella/), the caterpillar of a  
>> small moth in Gracillaridae, which is attacking the lilacs in my  
>> backyard. As the name suggest, the young larvae initially mine  
>> leaves leaving discoloured green blotches on the leaves which  
>> eventually turn brown. As the larvae mature the exit the leaves  
>> and collectively roll up the leaves to create a tube in which they  
>> live and on which they feed. In lilacs here in Halifax they can  
>> cause a significant amount of defoliation by the end of the season.
>>
>> This is an European species which was inadvertently introduced to  
>> North America, first appearing in Ontario in 1923. I'd be very  
>> interested in ascertaining how widely distributed this species is  
>> in Nova Scotia. The damage the cause is quite characteristic. If  
>> you've noticed this damage on lilacs, I'd  appreciate hearing  
>> where and when. There is a good photograph of the moth located at:
>>
>> http://www.danske-natur.dk/images6/mor1030a.jpg
>>
>> Ana a photo of leaf damage done by the caterpillars at:
>>
>> http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/af_lilac_LM.jpg
>>
>> Many thanks!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ 
>> ._._.
>>
>> Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
>>
>> 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
>>
>> (902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca  
>> <mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>>
>>
>> _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ 
>> ._._.
>>
>>

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Eleanor,<DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Yes, I'm certain that this =
must be the=A0Lilac Leafminer. The symptoms are exactly as you describe. =
I noticed this myself a number of years go on the property where I =
formerly lived, but didn't pay close attention to what was causing the =
problem until this year. If you split open any of the mined leaves you =
should see small, pale=A0caterpillars and blackish frass. Later on, =
the=A0caterpillars leave the mined leaves (no pun intended ... :-&gt;) =
and roll up fresh ones. I've observed them and they work as team, using =
silken threads to start rolling the leaf in from the tip. When =
completed, it is wound as tight as a cigar and the=A0caterpillars (now =
getting larger) live inside the tube. I have two medium sized lilacs in =
my backyard, and the number of leaf miners on them was uncountably great =
(they are now considerably reduced in numbers ... :-&gt;).</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In any event, I am =
interested in other reports from other parts of the province, so if any =
naturens members have lilacs, please let me know.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Best wishes,</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV=
>On 4-Jul-07, at 9:05 AM, Eleanor Lindsay wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Hi Chris,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">=46rom your =
description, I'd say that I and several of my neighbours likely have the =
infestation you want to know about. I haven't seen the caterpillars but =
the leaf damage you describe sounds very familiar. Speaking for myself, =
this has been occurring in<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =
</SPAN>lilacs on my property since I first transplanted some form my =
neighbours some 26-29 years ago. While I have cut down some over the =
years because they look so awful by the end of the season, the remaining =
ones, all similarly affected, still start out looking quite good each =
spring, and the