Blackthorn - Prunus spinosa

Pristiphora monogyniae

The larva of the sawfly Pristiphora monogyniae feed on Blackthorn and cause a downward leaf roll gall on the leaves.

Brachycaudus helichrysi

Brachycaudus helichrysi aphids causes distortion of leaves of various Prunus species including Blackthorn, causing the leaves to become rolled up tightly in spring.  These are not true galls, and other aphids may cause similar leaf distortions. The aphids are about 2 mm, greenish, yellowish or brownish, somewhat waxy; siphunculi very short; antennae shorter than the body with a darkened tip.

Damson-hop aphid

The Damson-hop Aphid (Phorodon humuli) host alternates from Blackthorn or Plum species (Prunaceae) to Hops. Phorodon humuli apterae are small to medium sized, whitish to pale yellowish green and relatively shiny. The abdomen is marked with three dark green longitudinal stripes.

Water Lily Aphid

The primary host for the Water Lily Aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae) are Prunus species such as Blackthorn and Plum. On these primary host species the apterae are reddish-brown. On Water-lily, the secondary host they may be shiny reddish-brown to dark olive. The Alates are shining brown, sometimes with white dorsal wax markings. The Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae aptera body length is 1.6 to 2.6 mm.

Apple Leaf Miner

The Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) is a tiny moth (wingspan 7 to 9 mm) with a silvery appearance but very attractively patterned when seen under magnification. 

The larva produces a leafmine on a number of species, especially Cherry, Apple, Rowan, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and other trees and shrubs in the Rosaceae family.  It is also commonly found on Birch. The mine is long smoothly curved gallery with frass in a central line; older mines look whitish. The larva is long and slender. It has a segmented body and 6 dark feet.

Stigmella plagicolella

The larva of the moth Stigmella plagicolella mines the leaves of Blackthorn creating a roundish blotch which begins as a narrow gallery and often ends up looking rather like a tadpole in shape.

Phyllonorycter spinicolella

The larva of the moth Phyllonorycter spinicolella mines the leaves of Blackthorn. The mines are narrow and cause the leaf to pucker strongly, often folding right over, and being whitish can resemble those of the blackthorn-feeding Parornix species. 

Parornix finitimella

The larva of the moth Parornix finitimella mines the leaves of Blackthorn.  The mine is initially a lower epidermal gallery leading to a grey or whitish blotch which contorts the leaf strongly. Then at least two folds on the leaf margin, consuming the upper epidermis. The larval foodplant, Blackthorn is shared with the similar Parornix torquillella and the mines cannot be distinguished unless larvae are examined.  Parornix finitimella is greyish with black rings on the legs, whereas Parornix torquillella is usually pale green with concolorous legs.

Parornix torquillella

The larva of the moth Parornix torquillella mines the leaves of Blackthorn and Wild Plum. The initial mine is a blotch type. It then leaves this and makes folds on the leaf edge. The larval foodplant, Blackthorn is shared with the similar Parornix finitimella and the mines cannot be distinguished unless larvae are examined.  Parornix finitimella is greyish with black rings on the legs, whereas Parornix torquillella is usually pale green with concolorous legs.

Lyonetia prunifoliella

The larva of the moth  Lyonetia prunifoliella mines the leaves of Blackthorn. The mine is a narrow gallery leading to a clear blotch. Strings of black frass hang beneath the blotches.