HPIPM:Vegetable

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Diptera
Suborder	Brachycera
Infraorder	Muscomorpha
Section	Schizophora
Subsection	Acalyptratae
Superfamily	Opomyzoidea
Family	Agromyzidae
Subfamily	Phytomyzinae
Genus	Liriomyza

Scientific Name

Liriomyza sativae

Scientific Name Synonyms

Agromyza subpusilla

Common Name

vegetable leafminer

Author: Whitney S. Cranshaw

Identification (and life cycle/seasonal history)

Adults are tiny yellow and black flies. Females lay eggs underneath the leaf surface. Larvae develop by feeding underneath the leaf epidermis, creating a serpentine leaf mine that gradually increases in width as the larvae grow. Pupation occurs within the mines and adults emerge.

Vegetable leafminer has a very wide host range and can produce similar mines on many other vegetable crops including beans, tomatoes, cabbage, and squash.

Plant Response to Damage

Larvae of vegetable leafminer create meandering mines underneath the surface of leaves. Except during extraordinary infestations this damage is insignificant to onion yield. However, damage is very conspicuous and produces unacceptable blemishing of green onion.

Natural Controls

Vegetable leafminer has several natural enemies, particularly parasitic wasps. These will normally suppress vegetable leafminer to non-damaging levels. Outbreaks of vegetable leafminer are almost always associated with insecticide use that destroys natural enemies.

Sampling

Adults can be collected on yellow sticky traps.

Regularly surveying fields can readily detect changes in leaf mining. However, parasites often kill leafminers after some mining has occurred so plants should be carefully examined to determine if leafminers are being killed by these natural enemies.

Chemical Control

Outbreaks of leafminers in green onions have occurred following repeated use of Guthion/azinphosmethyl and Lannate. Limiting early season treatments of insecticides will usually allow adequate natural control of leafminers. Mustang/Fury applications can control leafminers, but should not be applied excessively.

Due to constantly changing labels, laws and regulations, the sponsors of this web site assume no liability for the suggested use of any chemicals noted in the management section. Contact your local pest management personnel for current information on labeled pesticides that can be used for the intended plant disease, insect pest or weed.