American-holly

Guides

• Phytomyza ilicicola

  native holly leafminer, American Holly Leafminer

  Phytomyza ilicicola is a specialist leaf-mining fly whose larvae create distinctive serpentine trails within the leaves of American holly (Ilex opaca). Adults are small black flies resembling houseflies that emerge in early spring, timed precisely with the appearance of tender new holly leaves. The species is notable for its intimate ecological relationship with its host plant, including the holly's defensive response of prematurely dropping heavily infested leaves.

  leaf-minerspecialist-herbivoreAmerican-hollyIlex-opacaAgromyzidaeserpentine-mineseasonal-synchronyhost-specific