Leaf Noor Publishing Leaf miners Insect pests

Leafminers are a large group of insects that have species in almost all the major insect orders, including Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hymenoptera (wasps and sawflies), and Lepidoptera (caterpillars). Below are the leafminers that may be encountered in Illinois: Coleoptera: Locust leafminer, Odontota dorsalisDiptera: Holly leafminer, Phytomyza ilicisHymenoptera: Birch leafminer, Fenusa pusilla; hawthorn leafminer, Profenusa canadensis; alder leafminer, Fenusa dohrniiLepidoptera: Arborvitae leafminer, Argyresthia thuiella; spruce needleminer, Endothenia albolineanaDamage is primarily aesthetic or visual, rarely killing plants. Leafminers cause plant damage primarily when in the larva stage. An adult female may also cause damage by puncturing leaves as she inserts her ovipositor (egg-laying device). This creates white specks on the surface of leaves. Leaf miners are generally host specific, which helps in identification.It is difficult to generalize the life cycle of leafminers, due to the wide diversity of species. So for the sake of brevity and page length, this article will present the life cycle of fly leafminers.