A leaf miner is any one of numerous species of insects in which the larval stage lives in, and eats, the leaftissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths (Lepidoptera), sawflies (Symphyta, the mother clade of wasps), and flies (Diptera). Some beetles also exhibit this behavior.
Leaf miner damage to a horse chestnut treeLeaf with minor miner damageTomato with leaf miner damageLeaf mines by the moth Phyllocnistis hyperpersea on a Persea borbonia leafLeaf miner trail on a fallen leaf in a Gondwana cool temperate rainforest. Note the initial thin width of the insect trail, becoming wider as the insect grows while it navigates around the leaf. Cryptocarya foveolata from Cobark Park, Barrington Tops, Australia
Like woodboring beetles, leaf miners are protected from many predators and plant defenses by feeding within the tissues of the leaves, selectively eating only the layers that have the least amount of cellulose. When attacking Quercus robur (English oak), they also selectively feed on tissues containing lower levels of tannin, a deterrent chemical produced in great abundance by the tree.[1]
The pattern of the feeding tunnel and the layer of the leaf being mined is often diagnostic of the insect responsible, sometimes even to species level. The mine often contains frass, or droppings, and the pattern of frass deposition, mine shape, and host plant identity are useful to determine the species and instar of the leaf miner. Some mining insects feed in other parts of a plant, such as the surface of a fruit or the petal of a flower.
It has been suggested that some patterns of leaf variegation may be part of a defensive strategy employed by plants to deceive adult leaf miners into thinking that a leaf has already been preyed upon.[2][3]
Leaf miners are regarded as pests by many farmers and gardeners as they can cause damage to agricultural crops and garden plants, and can be difficult to control with insecticide sprays as they are protected inside the plant's leaves. Spraying the infected plants with spinosad, an organic insecticide, can control some leaf miners. Spinosad does not kill on contact and must be ingested by the leaf miner. Two or three applications may be required in a season. However, this will have harmful ecological effects, especially if sprayed when bees or other beneficial arthropods are present.[4][5]
Leaf miner infection of crops can be reduced or prevented by planting trap crops near the plants to be protected. For example, lambsquarter and columbine will distract leaf miners, drawing them to those plants and therefore reducing the incidence of attack on nearby crops. This is a method of companion planting.[6]
^Faeth, Stanley H.; Mopper, Susan; Simberloff, Daniel (1981). "Abundances and Diversity of Leaf-Mining Insects on Three Oak Host Species: Effects of Host-Plant Phenology and Nitrogen Content of Leaves". Oikos. 37 (2): 238–251. doi:10.2307/3544471. JSTOR 3544471.
^Walker, Matt (19 June 2009). "The plant that pretends to be ill". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
^Soltau, U.; Dötterl, S.; Liede-Schumann, S. (2009). "Leaf variegation in Caladium steudneriifolium (Araceae) – A case of mimicry?". Evolutionary Ecology. 23 (4): 503–512. doi:10.1007/s10682-008-9248-2. S2CID 5033305.
^Tomé, Hudson Vaner; Barbosa, Wagner; Martins, Gustavo F.; Guedes, Raul Narciso (2015). "Spinosad in the native stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata: Regrettable non-target toxicity of a bioinsecticide". Chemosphere. 124: 105–109. Bibcode:2015Chmsp.124..103T. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.11.038. PMID 25496737. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
^Pasquet, Alain; Tupiner, Nora; Mazzia, Christophe; Capowiez, Yvan (August 25, 2015). "Exposure to spinosad affects orb-web spider (Agalenatea redii) survival, web construction and prey capture under laboratory conditions". Journal of Pest Science. 89 (2): 507–515. doi:10.1007/s10340-015-0691-x. S2CID 6156257. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
^"Companion planting and trap cropping vegetables". University of Minnesota Extension.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leaf mining.
British leafminers - many of which are distributed widely across Europe.
The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects. Includes illustrated keys for identification of mines by host-plant genus and detailed descriptions of over 900 species along with their distribution in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and elsewhere.
Leafminers of Europe - covers over 1800 leafmining insect species.
Leafminers of southeastern U.S. woody ornamentals 2012-02-20 at the Wayback Machine on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Liriomyza trifolii, American serpentine leafminer
Liriomyza sativae, vegetable leafminer
Phyllocnistis citrella, citrus leafminer
CISR: Citrus Leaf Miner Center for Invasive Species Research page on Citrus Leaf Miner
April 21, 2024
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A leaf miner is any one of numerous species of insects in which the larval stage lives in and eats the leaf tissue of plants The vast majority of leaf mining insects are moths Lepidoptera sawflies Symphyta the mother clade of wasps and flies Diptera Some beetles also exhibit this behavior Leaf miner damage to a horse chestnut tree Leaf with minor miner damage Tomato with leaf miner damage Leaf mines by the moth Phyllocnistis hyperpersea on a Persea borbonia leaf Leaf miner trail on a fallen leaf in a Gondwana cool temperate rainforest Note the initial thin width of the insect trail becoming wider as the insect grows while it navigates around the leaf Cryptocarya foveolata from Cobark Park Barrington Tops Australia Like woodboring beetles leaf miners are protected from many predators and plant defenses by feeding within the tissues of the leaves selectively eating only the layers that have the least amount of cellulose When attacking Quercus robur English oak they also selectively feed on tissues containing lower levels of tannin a deterrent chemical produced in great abundance by the tree 1 The pattern of the feeding tunnel and the layer of the leaf being mined is often diagnostic of the insect responsible sometimes even to species level The mine often contains frass or droppings and the pattern of frass deposition mine shape and host plant identity are useful to determine the species and instar of the leaf miner Some mining insects feed in other parts of a plant such as the surface of a fruit or the petal of a flower It has been suggested that some patterns of leaf variegation may be part of a defensive strategy employed by plants to deceive adult leaf miners into thinking that a leaf has already been preyed upon 2 3 Contents 1 Relationship with humans 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksRelationship with humans edit nbsp Horse chestnut leaf miner adult Leaf miners are regarded as pests by many farmers and gardeners as they can cause damage to agricultural crops and garden plants and can be difficult to control with insecticide sprays as they are protected inside the plant s leaves Spraying the infected plants with spinosad an organic insecticide can control some leaf miners Spinosad does not kill on contact and must be ingested by the leaf miner Two or three applications may be required in a season However this will have harmful ecological effects especially if sprayed when bees or other beneficial arthropods are present 4 5 Leaf miner infection of crops can be reduced or prevented by planting trap crops near the plants to be protected For example lambsquarter and columbine will distract leaf miners drawing them to those plants and therefore reducing the incidence of attack on nearby crops This is a method of companion planting 6 nbsp Phyllocnistis magnoliella in magnolia leaf See also editAgromyzidae leaf miner flies Pegomya hyoscyami spinach beet leaf miner Douglasiidae including Tinagma the largest genus of Douglasiidae Gracillariidae Liriomyza sativae vegetable leaf miner Liriomyza trifolii American serpentine leaf miner Nepticulidae Horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella Tenthredinidae some species Tischerioidea trumpet leaf miner moths FolivoreReferences edit Faeth Stanley H Mopper Susan Simberloff Daniel 1981 Abundances and Diversity of Leaf Mining Insects on Three Oak Host Species Effects of Host Plant Phenology and Nitrogen Content of Leaves Oikos 37 2 238 251 doi 10 2307 3544471 JSTOR 3544471 Walker Matt 19 June 2009 The plant that pretends to be ill BBC News Retrieved 13 April 2016 Soltau U Dotterl S Liede Schumann S 2009 Leaf variegation in Caladium steudneriifolium Araceae A case of mimicry Evolutionary Ecology 23 4 503 512 doi 10 1007 s10682 008 9248 2 S2CID 5033305 Tome Hudson Vaner Barbosa Wagner Martins Gustavo F Guedes Raul Narciso 2015 Spinosad in the native stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata Regrettable non target toxicity of a bioinsecticide Chemosphere 124 105 109 Bibcode 2015Chmsp 124 103T doi 10 1016 j chemosphere 2014 11 038 PMID 25496737 Retrieved 4 September 2021 Pasquet Alain Tupiner Nora Mazzia Christophe Capowiez Yvan August 25 2015 Exposure to spinosad affects orb web spider Agalenatea redii survival web construction and prey capture under laboratory conditions Journal of Pest Science 89 2 507 515 doi 10 1007 s10340 015 0691 x S2CID 6156257 Retrieved 4 September 2021 Companion planting and trap cropping vegetables University of Minnesota Extension External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leaf mining British leafminers many of which are distributed widely across Europe The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects Includes illustrated keys for identification of mines by host plant genus and detailed descriptions of over 900 species along with their distribution in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and elsewhere Leafminers of Europe covers over 1800 leafmining insect species Leafminers of southeastern U S woody ornamentals Archived 2012 02 20 at the Wayback Machine on the UF IFAS Featured Creatures Web site Liriomyza trifolii American serpentine leafminer Liriomyza sativae vegetable leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella citrus leafminer CISR Citrus Leaf Miner Center for Invasive Species Research page on Citrus Leaf Miner Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leaf miner amp oldid 1177914656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
