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Parectopa robiniella Clemens
Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae
Bivoltine in Hungary (VI-X.), the generations may overlap each other. Monophagous, feeding only on Robinia. The female lays her egg into the fork of the midrib and one lateral vein, on the underside of the leaf. The hatching larva first makes a small mine here, then bores itself through the leaf and makes an irregular, multiply forking mine on the upper surface. The mine always include the midrib. The green larva always feed alone in the mine. The final instar larvae leave the mines and pupate on the ground leaf litter. Native to North America and was accidentally introduced to Italy, where it was first found near Milan, northern Italy, in 1970. From there it gradually spread in several directions. Now can be found in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Slovak Republic, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary. Was first reported in southern Hungary in 1983. It spread relatively quickly in the country and within ca. 6-8 years became common everywhere in Hungary, and very abundant in many places. Severe infestations cause early leaf-fall, as early as late June. Area damaged by this species has increased significantly during the last decade. Occurs together with Phyllonorycter robiniella, but the mines of the first generations appear a couple of weeks later than those of Phyllonorycter. In 2002, 6200 hectares damage area was reported in Hungary. The parasitoids native to Hungary cause negligible mortality, and therefore do probably not have the ability to regulate the populations of this species.
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