Note: Diptera larvae may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, or a blotch mine, but never in a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Pupation never in a cocoon. All mining Diptera larvae are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall. The larvae lie on their sides within the mine and use their pick-like mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. In some corridor miners frass may lie in two rows on alternate sides of the mine. In order to vacate the mine the fully grown larva cuts an exit slit, which is usually semi-circular (see Liriomyza huidobrensis video). The pupa is formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

1a > Stem-miner. Larva forming an external stem mine, with widely spaced grains of black frass. Pupation takes place at the end of the mine. Puparium black

On Aquilegia and Thalictrum in Britain and elsewhere. Recorded only from Hunts and Cambridge in Britain. Also in Germany, Sweden and Estonia.

Ophiomyia aquilegiana Lundquist, 1947 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1b > Leaf-miner. Larva forming short, irregular white linear mine, with frass in conspicuous black strips. Pupation external, normally adhering to the leaf near the end of the mine until dislodged by rain or wind. Puparium reddish brown (orange)

On Aquilegia and Thalictrum in Britain and elsewhere. Common and widespread throughout the Britain, particularly in gardens. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in much of Europe. Also recorded in the western U.S.A., the Himalayas and northern India.

Phytomyza minuscula Goureau, 1851 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1c > Leaf-miner. Larva forms large primary blotch, sometimes several larvae feeding together with frass scattered irregularly throughout the mine; leaves often being largely destroyed and the plants suffering considerable damage

On Aquilegia and Thalictrum in Britain and elsewhere. Common in southern Britain particularly in gardens. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland, Europe. Range extending eastwards to the Kirghiz and Kazakh Republics of the [former] U.S.S.R.

Phytomyza aquilegiae Hardy, 1849 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].