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Primer on
Leafminers in Cordillera Administrative Region,
Philippines
Foreword,
Authors and Acknowledgements
Introduction
Species
Characteristics
and Sudden Prominence
Nature
of Damage
Host
Plants
Life
Cycle
Management
Options
Life Cycle
Precise
length of the life cycle of a LM varies with
temperature and host plant. The average life cycle
of LMs from egg to adult is completed in 24-28
days and less than 20 days at higher temperature.
Egg
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The
female fly inserts its eggs inside the leaf tissue. The eggs are laid
singly on a leaf, with one egg measuring 0.10-0.15 mm in diameter. These
are creamy white/off-white, slightly translucent, are elongated oval in
shape and are not readily visible to naked eye. The eggs hatch to young
larvae (maggots) after 2.5-4.5 days.
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Larva
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Newly
hatched larva burrow inside the leaf surface making a serpentine mine. The
larva is legless, whitish to yellow green with a darker head and a mouth
hook structure that is retractable into the body. Mine diameter widens as
the larva increases in size and consumes greater amount of leaf material.
The leaf tissue becomes necrotic and brownish. As necrotic areas coalesce,
the whole leaf dries out and dies. A large portion of grown larvae remains
close to the midrib. Larval period, which has three stages, lasts for 4-7
days. When the third stage larva (about 2-3.5 mm long) is ready to pupate,
it cuts a semicircular hole in the leaf surface, crawls out of the mine
and drops to the ground in soil cracks, and crevices to pupate or pupates
on the leaf surface.
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Pupa
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The
pupa varies in color from yellow-brown to almost black and distinctly
segmented. It is rectangular oval shaped narrowing at the ends. There is
no feeding damage. Development is completed in 10-12 days.
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Adult
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The LM adult is a small fly, about 2.5 mm long, is dark/mat gray with
yellow markings. Female flies are slightly larger than males. Generally,
the LM adult emerges from the pupa in early morning hours. Peak adult
emergence is toward mid day. Males emerge earlier than females. Mating
occurs 6 to 24h after flies emerge from pupa. It can occur at
anytime but is most common during daytime. A single mating is sufficient
to fertilize all eggs laid. Oviposition rate peaks at four to eight days
after emergence. Adult become active at sunrise and activity peaks during
mid morning. Male lack the ability to directly damage the plant but often
feed from wounds made by the female. Adult life expectancy is 10-30 days
depending on environmental conditions. Females live longer than males.
They feed on nectar from flowers. |
Go
to Management Options
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