Leaf Miners

Leaf miners are tiny greyish flies whose larvae feed under the surface of leaves, creating worm-like tunnels within the leaf. There are hundreds of species of leaf miners, but the most common leaf miners present in Singapore are the vegetable leaf miner (Liriomyza sativae) and American serpentine leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii).

Most leafy vegetables and fruiting vegetables are susceptible to leaf miner larvae, such as xiao bai cai, lady's finger and cucumber.

Leaf miner damage at a large scale can reduces the amount of light the plant can capture to produce food, which makes them susceptible to plant diseases. Leaves with leaf miner damage also reduces the yield of leafy vegetables since damaged leaves are generally not fit for consumption due to the presence of the larvae in the leaf.

Symptoms

Infested leaves have translucent, winding trails within the leaf. Severely mined leaves may shrivel and die.

Preventive and control measures:

Mechanical control methods like installing netting with a fine mesh and pruning off infected leaves are the most effective methods of control.

Rotation of crops with other types of plants may help to interrupt the insect lifecycle.