Leafminers (adults)

Leafminers (Agromyzidae & others)

Leafminers are the larvae of flies, moths, beetles, or sawflies that tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, creating distinctive serpentine or blotch-shaped trails that are visible from outside the leaf. They attack a wide range of vegetable crops, ornamental plants, and trees including spinach, citrus, and birch. Damage is primarily cosmetic on established plants but can stunt seedlings and reduce vegetable yields. Systemic insecticides applied as soil drenches reach larvae inside leaf tissue where contact sprays cannot penetrate.