Lifecycle of Acentria ephemerella
(click to enlarge)
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Acentria eggs on a milfoil leaflet |
More Acentria eggs, a little older |
Acentria eggs ready to hatch |
A 1st instar (newly hatched) larvae |
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1st instar mining in a milfoil leaflet |
A larger caterpillar (~3rd instar) |
A few caterpillars of different sizes |
An Acentria "retreat" on a milfoil tip |
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Adult male moth (dorsal view) |
Adult male moth (ventral view) |
Typical adult female (on top of water) |
A very rare winged female (submerged) |
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Adult moths mating |
A female moth laying eggs on milfoil leaf |
For more information on Acentria check out:
Elisabeth M. Gross, Robert L. Johnson and Nelson G. Hairston Jr. 2000. Experimental evidence for changes in submersed macrophyte species composition caused by the herbivore Acentria ephemerella (Lepidoptera). Oecologia.DOI 10.1007/s004420000568. Article in HTML Published online: 16 December 2000
Johnson RL, Gross EM, Hairston NG Jr . 1998. Decline of the invasive submersed macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum (Haloragaceae) associated with herbivory by larvae of Acentria ephemerella (Lepidoptera). Aquat Ecol 31:273-282.
Johnson, R.L., P.J. Van Dusen, J.A. Toner and N.G. Hairston, Jr. 1999 [In
Press]. Eurasian
Watermilfoil Biomass Associated with Insect Herbivores in New York. Journal of
Aquatic Plant Management. 39: 283-289.
All images are the property of Robert L. Johnson, and cannot be dupicated without prior written permission. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2001.