Leaf-mine: An irregular serpentine mine, indistinguishable from mine of Liriomyza bryoniae.

Corridor, freely winding through the leaf. Frass in strings. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is also illustrated in British leafminers.

Larva: Orange-yellow; posterior spiracles with 3 bulbs, of which the outer is extended.

Puparium: Orange-yellow (Spencer, 1973a). The puparium is illustrated in the Encyclopedia of Life.

Comments: A highly polyphagous pest of ornamental and vegetable crops occasionally intercepted on produce at UK points of entry. It cannot survive cold areas except in glasshouses. Hosts cited here include 134 plant genera in 33 plant families worldwide

Liriomyza sativae is listed in the European Community Plant Health Directive (2000/29/EC). As a non-native notifiable pest species, its occurence in the United Kingdom should be notified immediately to the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (tel: +44 (0) 1904 462000, e-mail: info@fera.gsi.gov.uk ) However, in order to be certain of the identity, the male genitalia should be critically examined. Diagnostic protocols may be found at /protocols/liriomyza.pdf - See also Collins (1996).

Lycopersicon esculentum is treated as Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) by Stace (2010).

Hosts: The species is recorded worldwide on Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Capparidaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Dioscoraceae, Dipsacaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Mimosaceae, Moringaceae, Oleaceae, Onagraceae, Passifloraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polemoniaceae, Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, Sapindaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae, Tropaeolaceae, Verbenaceae and Zygophyllaceae.

Time of year - mines: Unknown.

Time of year - adults: Unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Occasionally intercepted on produce at UK points of entry. It cannot survive cold areas except in glasshouses.

NBN Grid map:

Distribution elsewhere: Recorded in Finland, China, Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, Shanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, India, Uttar Pradesh, Indonesia, Java, Iran, Israel, Japan, Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Archipelago, Jordan, Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia, Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Cameroon, Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Canada (Ontario), Mexico, USA (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas), Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, St Kitts Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, Ceara, Parana, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Chile, Colombia, French Guiana, Peru, Venezuela, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu (CABI, 2002, Map 477).

NBN interactive distribution map(s) of known host species in Great Britain and Ireland and elsewhere:

Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: