Lyonetia Leafminer: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life Cycle

Latin Name: Lyonetia Speculella

Appearance: Adults have slender white forewings with large gray-black and brown patterns near the apex; the wing edges are fringed with long hairs. The larva is pale and mostly hidden beneath the leaf mine. The pupa is external and hangs hung from the underside of the leaf in a “hammock.”

Hosts Plants: Apples, Cherries, Plums

Territory: Asia and Europe- Specifically in the northeastern United States and south across the Mid-Atlantic states.

Damage Insect Cause: Apple, plum, and cherry are all targets. On the top surface of the leaf, larvae develop a meandering linear mine that spreads into a blotch mine. Black frass is expelled from the mine through holes eaten in the lower epidermis and is usually observed in threads hanging from the mine. The removal of root initials and water sprouts may significantly lower the amount of accessible food for larvae, allowing adult populations to be controlled. Avoid overfertilization, which promotes vegetative growth, especially later in the season.

Life History and Habits: Adults fly from June to August, and from October to April. Every year, there are two or more generations.