Amauromyza flavifrons (Meigen)

Material examined. ILLINOIS: Mason Co., Forest City, Sand Ridge State Forest, 28.vi.2019, em. 15–23.vii.2019, C.S. Eiseman & J.A. Blyth, ex Silene stellata, # CSE5621, CNC1722676–1722680 (3♁ 2♀); MASSACHUSETTS: Franklin Co., Northfield, 42.647239, -72.425369, 20.vi.2018, em. 9.vii.2018, C.S. Eiseman, ex Stellaria media, # CSE4732, CNC1135720 (1♁).

Photographed mines. CONNECTICUT: Litchfield Co., Falls Village, 24.vi.2015, C. Vispo, Silene latifolia, BG 1093955; IDAHO: Kootenai Co., Hayden Lake, English Point, 30.ix.2012, C.S. Eiseman, Dianthus armeria; IOWA: Winneshiek Co., 100 Acre Wood, 4.x.2017, MJ Hatfield, Silene, BG 1450731; KENTUCKY: Edmonson Co., Mammoth Cave National Park, 37.224793, -86.221129, 23.vi.2020, T. Hulsey, Stellaria pubera, iNat 51138728; MARYLAND: Baltimore City Co., Herring Run Park, 22.v.2015, T. Wilson, Silene sp., BG 1072111; Herring Run Watershed, 15.vii.2013, T. Wilson, Stellaria ? media, BG 809049; NEW YORK: Delaware Co., 42.041286, -75.0233, 23.vii.2020, astrobirder, Stellaria aquatica, iNat 54593139; NORTH CAROLINA: Buncombe Co., Blue Ridge Parkway, 35.656365, -82.484747, 7.vii.2020, E. Raskin, Stellaria pubera, iNat 52357035; 35.658185, -82.485474, 7.vii.2020, E. Raskin, Silene virginica, iNat 52357053; Watauga Co., Boone, 3.ix.2016, T.S. Feldman, Saponaria officinalis [vacated mines], BG 1286592; VERMONT: Washington Co., Calais, 44.383117, - 72.399941, 4.vii.2020, N. Sharp, Silene vulgaris, iNat 52070937; NOVA SCOTIA: Colchester Co., Truro, Center, St., 45.363787, -63.265562, 4.viii.2020, P. Manning, Silene coronaria, iNat 55434578.

Hosts. Amaranthaceae: Beta vulgaris L.; Caryophyllaceae: Atocion armeria (L.) Raf. (Craves 2018), [ Dianthus armeria L.], D. barbatus L., D. chinensis L. (Adam 2019), Saponaria officinalis L., [ Silene chalcedonica (L.) E.H.L.Krause], S. coronaria (L.) Clairv., [ S. flos-cuculi (L.) Greuter & Burdet], S. latifolia Poir., S. rotundifolia Nutt., S. stellata (L.) W.T.Aiton, [ S. virginica L., S. vulgaris (Moench) Garcke], [ Stellaria aquatica (L.) Scop.], S. media (L.) Vill., [ S. pubera Michx.] (Eiseman & Lonsdale 2018).

Leaf mine. A white linear-blotch; the completed blotch may obliterate the linear portion. Frass is in sparsely scattered black grains.

Puparium. Brown; formed outside the mine.

Phenology and voltinism. This species is multivoltine, with larvae present from June to November in New York (Scheffer & Lonsdale 2018). The earliest record we have seen is a photograph of a mine taken in Maryland on 22 May. Adults have emerged within three or four weeks of our larval collections, except for a series collected in October that overwintered as pupae, emerging as adults a month after removal from refrigeration (Eiseman & Lonsdale 2018).

Distribution. USA: [CT], DE, [IA, ID] *IL, [KY], *MA, [MD], MI, MN, [NC], NY, OH, OR, PA, VT, WA, [WI]; Canada: BC, NB (Adam 2019), [NS], ON, QC; Europe (Eiseman & Lonsdale 2018).