Pea Leaf Miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis

Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), the pea leaf miner, is a highly polyphagous leaf miner capable of inflicting severe damage to crops. Affected crops include field- and glasshouse-grown vegetables and flowers. The pea leaf miner apparently originated in South America and has spread to other continents where established populations are growing ever more difficult to control. For example, in the Salinas Valley (Monterey Co., CA), Chaney (1995) reported that “This insect has gone from a sporadic fall pest, relatively easily controlled, to a pest throughout most of the vegetable-growing season that is essentially not able to be·controlled in many crops.” This is at least partly due to a shift in the pea leaf miner’s susceptibility to insecticides. Changes in tillage practices, especially reduced tillage on semi-permanent beds, may also be contributing to the problem. Lettuce is the worst affected crop, but nearly all of the fresh vegetables grown in the Salinas Valley are hosts for this leaf miner. Liriomyza huidobrensis has been recorded from Florida (Poe and Montz 1981; CABI/EPPO 1992), but apparently a viable population has not been established. Larvainfested produce and cut flowers have been intercepted many times at Florida ports of entry.