Leaf Miners Indoor & Outdoor Pests

Leaf Miners Indoor & Outdoor Pests

Leaf miners have been at work here, NC

Leaf miners are the larvae of moths, beetles, maggots, flies or caterpillars that have hatched between the upper and lower epidermis of a leaf. They then burrow there way out eating part of the leaf and leaving a trail.

Common Types from 524 Leaf Miners

  • Chrysanthemum leaf miner ‘Phytomyza chrysanthemi’ also known as the Margurite fly.
  • Privet leaf miner ‘Gracilaria cuculipennella’
  • Palm leaf miner ‘Homaledra sabelella’
  • Other favourite indoor targets include Ficus species and African Violets.
  • A few mining insects use other parts of a plant, such as the surface of a fruit.
  • The horse chestnut leaf miner ‘Cameraria ohridella’

Damage and Control

  • Deterioration of plants leaf by leaf results from the tunneling or mining activity.
  • Some damage is linear some is serpentine.
  • Blotches and circular ruptures may occur where the surface has been eaten away.
  • Sprays are largely ineffective as the insect is protected under the surface of the leaf.
  • Systemic insecticide is the only cure. Insecticides recommended for leaf miner control on farm crops include carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, diazinon, dimethoate and trichlorphon.
  • Infected leaves should be pruned off and destroyed.
  • Farmers may reduce or prevent problems by planting trap or distraction crops near the plants to be protected

 

Jatropha leaf miners

Sources Creative Commons
Top; by Martin LaBar, on Flickr’ leaf miners, insects that, generally as larvae, burrow between the upper and lower epidermis of leaves. An interesting ecological niche!’
Lower; leaf miners by tonrulkens, on Flickr

Read British Leaf Miners

Comments are closed.