Leaf-miner
Guides
Friseria acaciella
Friseria acaciella is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of approximately 13 mm. The species is distinguished by its dark purple forewings with a distinctive yellowish-white quadrangular spot and contrasting lighter apex. It occurs in Mexico and the southern United States, with larvae that feed specifically on Acacia farnesiana.
Glaucolepis
Glaucolepis is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, established by Braun in 1917. Species in this genus are leaf miners with specialized host associations, particularly with plants in the genus Bupleurum (Apiaceae). The genus is distributed in southwestern Europe and northern Africa, with some records from North America. DNA barcode analysis suggests monophyletic origins for host plant associations within the genus.
Glaucolepis saccharella
Glaucolepis saccharella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, one of the smallest moth families by body size. The species was originally described as Nepticula saccharella by Braun in 1912 and later transferred to Glaucolepis. It belongs to a genus of leaf-mining moths whose larvae feed internally on plant tissue. The species has been documented in the eastern United States.
Globia oblonga
Oblong Sedge Borer Moth, oblong sedge borer
Globia oblonga is a noctuid moth commonly known as the oblong sedge borer. First described by Grote in 1882, this species was formerly placed in the genus Capsula before that name was abandoned due to a homonym conflict with a mollusk genus. The species is notable for its specialized larval biology: early instars are leaf miners on emergent aquatic plants, while later instars transition to stem-boring below the water line. Adults are medium-sized moths with wingspans of 35–50 mm.
Gnorimoschema saphirinella
Gnorimoschema saphirinella is a small gelechiid moth described by V.T. Chambers in 1875. It is widely distributed across North America, with records from at least 14 U.S. states spanning the southern, central, and western regions. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in forewing length. Adults are active for much of the year, and larvae are specialized leaf miners on Ambrosia species.
Gnorimoschema shepherdiae
Gnorimoschema shepherdiae is a small gelechiid moth described by Ronald J. Priest in 2014. It is distributed across northern North America from Yukon to Michigan. The species is a leaf-mining specialist on Shepherdia canadensis, with larvae that feed internally on host plant foliage.
Gnorimoschema terracottella
Gnorimoschema terracottella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1900. The species is characterized by distinctive reddish-brown forewings with complex white patterning and dark dusting. Its larvae are leaf miners on Iva imbricata, a composite plant in the southeastern United States. The species is known from only two states, Florida and Alabama, and is one of approximately 100 described species in the genus Gnorimoschema.
Gracillaria
Gracillaria is a genus of small moths in the family Gracillariidae, established by Adrian Haworth in 1828. The genus contains nine recognized species distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. Members of this genus are leaf-mining moths, with larvae that feed internally on plant tissue. The type species, Gracillaria syringella, was described by Fabricius in 1794 and is known to feed on lilac and privet.
Gracillaria syringella
lilac leafminer, privet leafminer, Lilac Leafminer Moth
Gracillaria syringella is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, native to Europe and introduced to North America. Adults have a wingspan of 10–13 mm and display distinctive pale yellow-brown forewings with white fasciae and black-margined spots. The species is named for its larval association with lilac (Syringa), though it also mines leaves of privet (Ligustrum) and ash (Fraxinus). It produces two generations annually in most of its range.
Gracillariidae
Leaf Blotch Miner Moths, Leaf Miner Moths
Gracillariidae is a large family of small moths in the order Lepidoptera, comprising approximately 98 described genera and many undescribed tropical species. Adults are typically diminutive with wingspans of 5–20 mm. The family is best known as the principal group of leaf-mining moths, with larvae that feed internally within leaf tissue. Several species are economically significant agricultural and horticultural pests, including the invasive horse-chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). The family has a fossil record extending to 97 million years ago, with Phyllocnistinae leaf mines preserved in Cretaceous rocks.
Gracillariinae
Gracillariinae is a subfamily of leaf-mining moths within the family Gracillariidae, first described by Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854. The subfamily contains diverse genera including Caloptilia, Gracillaria, and Sabulopteryx. Larvae are predominantly leaf miners, with most species exhibiting a characteristic life cycle involving an initial sap-feeding instar with modified mouthparts, though some species have been shown to deviate from this pattern. The subfamily has been subject to significant taxonomic revision, with phylogenetic studies in 2017 reorganizing generic placements among related subfamilies.
Gracillarioidea
Gracillarioidea is a large superfamily of Lepidoptera containing approximately 113 described genera distributed worldwide. The group comprises four families, with Gracillariidae being the most commonly encountered. Larvae are small moths that function as miners in plant tissue, primarily as leaf miners. The superfamily includes Bucculatricidae, which has documented associations with Asteraceae hosts.
Greya punctiferella
Greya punctiferella is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae, distributed along the Pacific coastal ranges of western North America from Alaska to northern California. Adults have a wingspan of 12.5–19 mm. The larvae are known leaf miners of several saxifrage family plants.
Haplopeodes loprestii
Haplopeodes loprestii is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described in 2021 by Eiseman and Lonsdale. It belongs to the subfamily Phytomyzinae, a group known for larvae that create distinctive feeding tunnels within plant leaves. As a recently described species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Heliozela
Heliozela is a genus of small moths in the family Heliozelidae, described by Herrich-Schäffer in 1853. Species are leaf miners as larvae, feeding internally on host plant leaves. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with records from Europe and North America, and has been reported from southern Brazil. Heliozelidae are among the most primitive lineages of Lepidoptera.
Heterarthrinae
Heterarthrinae is a subfamily of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Its larvae are leaf miners, feeding internally within leaf tissue and creating characteristic mines. The subfamily is distributed primarily across Eurasia and North America, with additional species present in Africa and South America. It contains multiple genera organized into three recognized tribes: Caliroini, Fenusini, and Heterarthrini.
Heterarthrini
Heterarthrini is a tribe of sawflies within the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Tenthredininae. Members are small, slender sawflies known for their leaf-mining larvae, which feed internally within leaf tissue of various host plants. The tribe includes several genera, with Caliroa being the most frequently encountered. Adults are generally inconspicuous and rarely observed compared to their more economically significant larval stages.
Heterarthrus nemoratus
Late Birch Leaf Edgeminer Sawfly
Heterarthrus nemoratus is a Palearctic sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae. The larvae are specialized leaf-miners that feed on birch leaves (Betula species), creating distinctive mines along leaf edges. Adults are active during late spring and summer. The species has been introduced to North America, where established populations occur in Canada.
Holcocera
Holcocera is a genus of gelechioid moths comprising approximately 70 described species, classified in the family Blastobasidae and tribe Holcocerini. The genus has been documented across multiple continents including North America, Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Multiple species have documented associations with specific host plants, including conifers (Pinaceae), fruit trees (Prunus), and leguminous plants.
Hydrellia
hydrilla leaf mining flies (unofficial, for some species)
Hydrellia is a large genus of shore flies (family Ephydridae) comprising more than 240 described species. The genus is notable for containing aquatic leaf-mining species whose larvae develop inside the tissues of submerged aquatic plants. Several species, particularly H. pakistanae and H. balciunasi, have been introduced to North America as biological control agents against the invasive aquatic weed Hydrilla verticillata. Other species, such as H. tarsata, mine leaves of Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides) in Eurasian freshwater systems.
Hypurus bertrandi
Portulaca leafmining weevil
Hypurus bertrandi is a small weevil in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the Portulaca leafmining weevil. The species is native to the Palearctic region but has been introduced to North America and Hawaii. It is associated with plants in the genus Portulaca, where larvae create distinctive leaf mines. The species has been documented in iNaturalist with over 90 observations, indicating established populations in introduced ranges.
Isochnus flagellum
Isochnus flagellum is a small weevil in the family Curculionidae, tribe Rhamphini. The species was originally described as Orchestes flagellum by Erichson in 1902. It is known from high-latitude regions of North America including Alaska, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories. As a member of the genus Isochnus, it belongs to a group of leaf-mining weevils associated with birch and alder foliage.
Isochnus rufipes
Isochnus rufipes is a weevil species in the family Curculionidae described by LeConte in 1876. The genus Isochnus contains leaf-mining weevils, and the species epithet 'rufipes' refers to reddish legs. Very little published information exists specifically for this species.
Isochnus sequensi
Isochnus sequensi is a flea-weevil (Curculionidae: Rhamphini) that creates leaf mines on Salix fragilis (crack willow). The species has been documented as a host for multiple eulophid parasitoid wasps in northwestern Russia. It belongs to a genus of small weevils associated with willow and poplar species.
Isophrictis striatella
white-border neb
Isophrictis striatella is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of approximately 12 mm. It has a broad distribution across most of Europe, Turkey, and North America. Adults are active from mid-June through September. The larvae feed on specific host plants in the Asteraceae family.
Japanagromyza
Japanagromyza is a genus of leaf-mining flies in the family Agromyzidae, comprising more than 80 described species. Species occur across the Oriental, Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Palaearctic regions. Larvae are internal feeders, with documented habits including leaf-mining and seed-feeding on diverse host plants. Several species are recognized as pests of economically or ecologically significant plants, including orchids and legumes.
Japanagromyza aequalis
Japanagromyza aequalis is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1966. As a member of the genus Japanagromyza, it belongs to a group of flies whose larvae typically create mines within the leaves of host plants. The species name 'aequalis' suggests some aspect of equal or uniform characteristics, though the specific morphological basis for this epithet is not documented in the provided sources. Very little detailed biological information is available for this particular species in the accessible literature.
Japanagromyza inaequalis
Japanagromyza inaequalis is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Malloch in 1914. The genus Japanagromyza comprises small flies whose larvae typically create mines within plant tissues. This species has been recorded from Brazil (Pará state), though detailed biological information remains sparse in published literature.
Japanagromyza viridula
Oak Shothole Leafminer
Japanagromyza viridula is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, commonly known as the oak shothole leafminer. The species is native to North America and has been recorded from Canada and the United States. As a leaf miner, its larvae feed internally within oak leaves, creating distinctive feeding patterns. The species was originally described as Agromyza viridula by Coquillett in 1902 and later transferred to the genus Japanagromyza.
Keiferia elmorei
Keiferia elmorei is a small gelechiid moth described in 1936. The species is known from California and is associated with Solanum host plants. Larvae are leaf miners.
Keiferia lycopersicella
Tomato Pinworm
Keiferia lycopersicella, the tomato pinworm, is a gelechiid moth and significant agricultural pest of Solanaceae crops. Native to warm regions of the Americas, it has expanded its range through greenhouse production and international trade. The species completes seven to eight generations annually in favorable climates. Larvae are leaf miners and fruit borers, causing direct damage to tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. Adults communicate via sex pheromones, with synthetic lures used for monitoring and management.
Lemnaphila
duckweed miner flies
Lemnaphila is a genus of shore flies in the family Ephydridae, commonly known as duckweed miner flies. The genus was established by Cresson in 1933 and contains seven described species distributed in the Neotropical region. At least one species, L. neotropica, is known to mine duckweeds (Lemna species), creating distinctive feeding damage on these aquatic plants. The genus has attracted attention due to the economic and ecological significance of its association with duckweed communities.
Lemnaphila scotlandae
Lemnaphila scotlandae is a species of shore fly in the family Ephydridae, described by Cresson in 1933. The species is notable for its specialized larval ecology: larvae are leaf-miners of duckweed (Lemna spp.). It has been recorded in Canada and the United States.
Leucanthiza amphicarpeaefoliella
Leucanthiza amphicarpeaefoliella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, described by Clemens in 1859. The species occurs in northeastern North America, with records from Ontario and Québec in Canada and several eastern and midwestern U.S. states. Adults are small with a wingspan of approximately 8 mm. The larvae are specialized leaf miners on Amphicarpaea bracteata, a leguminous vine.
Leucoptera
leaf miners, white-winged moths
Leucoptera is a genus of small moths in the family Lyonetiidae, commonly known as leaf miners. The genus includes several economically important agricultural pests, most notably Leucoptera coffeella (the coffee leaf miner) and Leucoptera malifoliella (the apple leaf miner). Larvae feed internally within leaf tissue, creating distinctive serpentine or blotch mines that reduce photosynthetic capacity and can cause significant crop losses. The genus has a global distribution with species associated with diverse host plants including coffee, apple, and other crops.
Leucoptera erythrinella
Leucoptera erythrinella is a species of moth in the family Lyonetiidae, first described by Busck in 1900. It belongs to a genus of leaf-mining moths whose larvae create serpentine tunnels within plant leaves. The species is part of the Cemiostominae subfamily, a group known for their specialized feeding habits as internal leaf feeders.
Leucoptera laburnella
Laburnum Leafminer, laburnum leaf miner
Leucoptera laburnella is a small moth in the family Lyonetiidae, commonly known as the laburnum leaf miner. The larvae are leaf miners that feed internally on leaves of various Fabaceae species, particularly Laburnum. Adults have distinctive white forewings marked with yellow and dark fuscous patterns. The species is native to Europe and has been introduced to North America.
Leucospilapteryx
Leucospilapteryx is a genus of small moths in the family Gracillariidae, first described by Spuler in 1910. The genus contains three recognized species distributed across parts of Europe and North America. Members of this genus are leaf-mining moths, with larvae that feed internally on plant tissues. The genus is classified within the subfamily Acrocercopinae.
Leucospilapteryx venustella
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae with a wingspan of approximately 6 mm. The species is known from eastern North America, ranging from Québec through the Atlantic states and into the Midwest. Larvae develop as leaf miners on plants in the genus Ageratina and Eupatorium urticifolium.
Limnaecia phragmitella
Shy Cosmet Moth
Limnaecia phragmitella, commonly known as the Shy Cosmet Moth, is a small micro-moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. Adults have a wingspan of 15–22 mm with ochre-coloured forewings bearing distinctive grey-brown markings and white-edged spots. The species is widespread across Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North America. Larvae are more frequently encountered than adults, mining within the seed heads and stems of bulrushes (Typha species).
Liriomyza
Liriomyza leaf-mining flies
Liriomyza is a genus of leaf-mining flies in the family Agromyzidae comprising at least 410 described species. The genus is distributed worldwide with particularly notable diversity in the Neotropical region. Larvae feed internally within plant leaves, creating distinctive serpentine or blotch mines that impair photosynthesis. Several species are significant agricultural pests, including the pea leafminer (L. huidobrensis) and vegetable leafminer (L. sativae), which have become invasive in multiple continents. The genus exhibits considerable variation in host plant specificity, with some species highly polyphagous and others restricted to particular plant families.
Liriomyza blechi
Liriomyza blechi is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Spencer in 1973. The species belongs to a group of 27 closely related taxa primarily distributed in the Neotropics, with some extending into temperate North and South America. It is a polyphagous pest known from diverse host plants including maize, various grasses, and dicots in the order Lamiales. Larvae create whitish linear mines in leaves, reducing photosynthetic capacity. The species has been recorded from the United States, Caribbean islands, and Brazil, with expanding documentation of its agricultural impact.
Liriomyza brassicae
Cabbage leafminer, Serpentine leaf miner
Liriomyza brassicae is a leaf-mining agromyzid fly whose larvae create serpentine mines within the leaves of host plants. The species is a documented pest of brassicaceous crops including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Chinese broccoli. It has been recorded from South Florida and other regions of the United States including Vermont, Hawaii, and the conterminous 48 states.
Liriomyza eupatoriella
Liriomyza eupatoriella is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1986. The larva creates serpentine or blotch mines within the leaves of host plants. It is specifically associated with Eupatorium species (bonesets) and related genera including white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima). The species has been documented through 220 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is moderately well-recorded but not extensively studied in the scientific literature.
Liriomyza helianthi
Liriomyza helianthi is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1981. The species is a specialist herbivore whose larvae feed internally on leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. Research has demonstrated strong female oviposition preference for its normal host Helianthus annuus (sunflower) compared to novel host plants, with larval performance generally correlating with this preference pattern. The species has potential significance as a pest of cultivated sunflower and related Asteraceae crops.
Liriomyza philadelphivora
Liriomyza philadelphivora is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1969. The specific epithet "philadelphivora" indicates an association with mock orange (Philadelphus) as a host plant. Like other members of the genus Liriomyza, this species produces larvae that feed internally within leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. The species has been recorded from Vermont and other parts of the United States.
Liriomyza ptarmicae
Liriomyza ptarmicae is a species of leaf miner fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Meijere in 1925. The species is known from the Palaearctic region and the United States, with confirmed records from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and Vermont, USA. Like other members of the genus, the larvae likely feed internally on leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. The specific epithet 'ptarmicae' suggests an association with Achillea ptarmica (sneezewort yarrow), though this host relationship requires confirmation.
Liriomyza sativae
vegetable leaf miner, vegetable leafminer
Liriomyza sativae, the vegetable leafminer, is a polyphagous leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae. Native to the Neotropics, it has become a widespread invasive pest of vegetable crops globally. Larvae feed internally on leaf mesophyll, creating characteristic serpentine mines that reduce photosynthetic capacity. The species is notable for its broad host range spanning multiple plant families, rapid generation time, and competitive interactions with congeners mediated by temperature.
Liriomyza schmidti
Liriomyza schmidti is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Aldrich in 1929. It is known from Florida, the West Indies, and Costa Rica. As a member of the genus Liriomyza, it is presumed to be a leaf miner, though specific details of its biology are poorly documented in accessible literature.
Liriomyza triodanidis
Liriomyza triodanidis is a leaf-mining fly species in the family Agromyzidae, described by Eiseman, Lonsdale & Feldman in 2019. The specific epithet "triodanidis" derives from the genus Triodanis, indicating an association with plants in this genus. Like other members of the genus Liriomyza, this species likely produces larvae that feed internally within leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. The species was described relatively recently, and detailed biological information remains limited in published literature.