Leafminer
Guides
Phytomyza penstemonis
Phytomyza penstemonis is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1969. The species is recorded from the United States. As a member of the genus Phytomyza, it likely produces serpentine leaf mines in host plant foliage, though specific details regarding its biology and host associations remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Phytomyza persicae
Phytomyza persicae is a species of leaf-miner fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Frick in 1954. As a member of the genus Phytomyza, it likely produces characteristic serpentine or blotch mines in host plant leaves during larval development. The species epithet 'persicae' suggests an association with Prunus persica (peach) or related plants, though specific host records require verification. Like other agromyzid leafminers, adults are small flies that oviposit into leaf tissue and larvae feed internally between leaf surfaces.
Phytomyza plantaginis
Plantain leafminer
Phytomyza plantaginis is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae. It is notable as the second documented case of parthenogenetic reproduction (thelytoky) in its family. Populations in Australia exhibit variation in sex ratio, with some areas having only females and others maintaining bisexual populations with female-biased ratios. The species is associated with Plantago host plants.
Phytomyza plumiseta
Phytomyza plumiseta is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae. The species was described by Frost in 1924. It is one of many Phytomyza species that create serpentine mines in plant leaves. The genus Phytomyza contains numerous leafminer species, many of which are specialists on particular host plants.
Phytomyza prava
Phytomyza prava is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Spencer in 1969. It belongs to a large genus of flies whose larvae create distinctive feeding galleries within plant leaves. The species is accepted in taxonomic databases but detailed biological information specific to this species is not readily available in the provided sources.
Phytomyza sempervirentis
English Holly Leafminer
Phytomyza sempervirentis is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae. The species was described in 2018 and is associated with Ilex species, including English holly (Ilex aquifolium). Larvae create serpentine mines within holly leaves, feeding between the upper and lower epidermis. Adults are small black flies that emerge in spring to coincide with the production of tender new leaves.
Phytomyza tarnwoodensis
Phytomyza tarnwoodensis is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described from Vermont, USA in 2018. The species is known from limited collection records and appears to be associated with woody plants. Like other Phytomyza species, it likely produces serpentine or blotch mines in leaves during larval development. The specific epithet references the type locality.
Phytomyza tiarellae
Phytomyza tiarellae is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Griffiths in 1972. It belongs to a genus of flies whose larvae feed within plant tissues, creating distinctive mines in leaves. The specific epithet suggests an association with plants in the genus Tiarella. As a member of the Agromyzidae, it shares the family's characteristic larval habit of feeding between leaf epidermal layers.
Phytomyza tigris
Phytomyza tigris is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described in 2018 by Eiseman and Lonsdale. As a member of the genus Phytomyza, it likely exhibits the characteristic leaf-mining larval behavior typical of this diverse group of flies. The species has been recorded from Vermont, United States. Like other Phytomyza species, it probably develops within leaf tissue, with larvae creating distinctive feeding galleries between the upper and lower leaf surfaces.
Phytomyza triostevena
Phytomyza triostevena is a recently described leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first recognized as a distinct species by Eiseman & Lonsdale in 2021. It was previously conflated with the native holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicicola, from which it has been taxonomically separated based on morphological and biological distinctions. The species develops as a larva within leaves of its host plant, creating serpentine mines between the upper and lower epidermal layers. Its life cycle and host associations appear similar to those of related holly-feeding Phytomyza species, though specific details remain under investigation due to its recent description.
Phytomyza vomitoriae
Ilex vomitoria leafminer
A leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae that creates serpentine mines in leaves of yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria). Larvae feed internally between leaf surfaces, producing distinctive winding trails visible on the leaf exterior. Adults are small black flies that emerge in spring to coincide with new leaf growth. The species is closely related to Phytomyza ilicicola, which mines American holly (Ilex opaca).
Phytomyza wiggii
Phytomyza wiggii is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described by Lonsdale & Scheffer in 2011. It belongs to a genus of flies whose larvae create distinctive serpentine mines within leaf tissue. The species is closely related to P. lineata, with which it has been synonymized in some taxonomic databases. Like other Phytomyza species, it likely completes its larval development within host plant leaves, though specific host associations for this particular species remain undocumented in the available literature.
Phytomyza ziziae
Phytomyza ziziae is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described in 2018 from specimens in Vermont, United States. It belongs to a genus whose larvae create distinctive serpentine mines within leaves. The specific epithet references Zizia, a genus of North American plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae), suggesting a potential host association. As a recently described species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Stigmella
pygmy leaf-mining moths
Stigmella is a large genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as pygmy leaf-mining moths. Adults typically measure 2–6 mm in wingspan, making them among the smallest Lepidoptera. The genus is characterized by larvae that feed internally in leaf mines of diverse host plants. Many species exhibit narrow host specificity, with individual species restricted to particular plant genera or families. Stigmella contains hundreds of described species distributed across temperate and tropical regions worldwide.
Stigmella ceanothi
Stigmella ceanothi is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, first described by Braun in 1910 under the name Nepticula ceanothi. The species is endemic to California, United States, where it develops as a leafminer on host plants in the genus Ceanothus. Like other Stigmella species, the larvae feed internally within leaves, creating characteristic mines. The moth belongs to a large genus of minute leafmining moths that are ecologically significant as specialists on particular host plant genera.
Stigmella intermedia
pygmy leaf-mining moth
Stigmella intermedia is a minute pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by a wingspan of only 3–3.5 mm. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ontario, and Vermont. It is a specialist leafminer whose larvae feed on sumac species (Rhus typhina and Rhus aromatica), creating distinctive linear mines with broad blackish frass lines. The species typically produces two generations per year, with larvae maturing in July and overwintering, though occasionally a third generation occurs.
Stigmella multispicata
Stigmella multispicata is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, native to East Asia and invasive in eastern North America. It was first described from a single male holotype from Primorye, Russia in 2014, and subsequently identified as an established invasive species in North America through DNA barcoding that matched specimens from Beijing, China with adults found in the United States. The species is a leafminer specializing on Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila), distinguished by morphological features including a white collar, entirely dark antennae, and in females an elongated narrow ovipositor adapted for oviposition in hairy leaf vein axils. It is the only Ulmus-feeding nepticulid in North America with green larvae. First detected in North America around 2010, the species has since spread to ten US states and two Canadian provinces.
Stigmella slingerlandella
Slingerland's Plum Leafminer Moth, Plum Leaf Miner
Stigmella slingerlandella is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as the plum leaf miner. The species was described by Kearfott in 1908 and named in honor of Mark Vernon Slingerland. It is a specialist leafminer on Prunus species, with larvae creating distinctive mines that begin as narrow linear tunnels before expanding into irregular blotches. The species occurs in eastern North America, where it can be a minor pest of plum and cherry cultivation.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-alnus
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the genus Stigmella, recognized by its association with alder (Alnus) as a host plant. The species has been documented as a leafminer on alder but has not yet received a formal scientific name. As a member of the Nepticulidae, it is part of a diverse family of minute moths whose larvae create distinctive mines in leaves.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-mahonia
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the genus Stigmella (family Nepticulidae) known to occur on Mahonia plants. Like other Stigmella species, it is presumed to be a leaf-mining specialist, though formal description and detailed biological study are pending. The species has been documented sufficiently to recognize its distinctness from described taxa but awaits taxonomic formalization.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-rhus-aromatica
This is a putative undescribed species in the genus Stigmella, family Nepticulidae, associated with the host plant Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac). No formal description exists in the scientific literature. The species has been proposed based on host association with this sumac species, but remains unconfirmed pending taxonomic study.
Stilbosis ostryaeella
ironwood leafminer moth, ironwood leafminer
Stilbosis ostryaeella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. Its larvae are leafminers specialized on ironwood (Ostrya virginiana), creating distinctive blotch mines between leaf veins. The species is distributed across eastern North America, with adults active from late spring through summer. It overwinters as a pupa in leaf litter.
Sumitrosis
Sumitrosis is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, containing at least 60 described species. The genus was established by Butte in 1969 and belongs to the subfamily Cassidinae (tortoise beetles and allies) and tribe Chalepini. One species, Sumitrosis rosea, has been documented as a leafminer on soybean crops, indicating potential agricultural significance for certain members of the genus.
Zaeucoila
Zaeucoila is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Figitidae, established by Ashmead in 1903. Species within this genus are endoparasitoids of leaf-mining flies in the family Agromyzidae (Diptera), including significant agricultural pests such as Liriomyza sativae. The genus has undergone systematic revision to clarify species identities and document host associations. Developmental studies indicate complete immature stages require approximately 22 days, with distinct morphological changes between larval instars.
Zagrammosoma
tattooed wasps
Zagrammosoma is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Eulophidae, commonly known as tattooed wasps. The genus contains 26 recognized species worldwide and is morphologically distinct from the related genus Cirrospilus. Members are parasitoids of leaf-mining insect larvae, primarily in the orders Lepidoptera and Diptera, with some species also attacking Hymenoptera leafminers. Several species have been documented as biological control agents for agricultural pests.