Revealing a Novel Potential Pest of Plum Trees in the Caucasus: A Species Resembling the European Leaf-Mining Stigmella plagicolella, Nepticulidae
Journal: Insects
Year: 2024

In instances of severe infestations, Nepticulidae larvae can inflict damage on cultivated plants. Previously, it was assumed that the <i>Prunus</i>-feeding Nepticulidae have continuous distribution from Europe to the neighboring Caucasus. During recent fieldwork in the Caucasus, leaf mines were found on plum trees that initially resembled those of <i>Stigmella plagicolella</i> (Stainton) in Europe. However, upon rearing the adults, significant differences emerged, leading to the hypothesis that