A list of "mystery" leafminers, mostly in NYC

Charley Eiseman told me I had observed some interesting mysteries in terms of the leafminers that I photographed during 2018. Some of these may be new species.

I decided to create a journal post listing the mysteries, so that anyone who might want to investigate them can easily find my mystery observations, and then hopefully be able to find more of the leafminers while they are in the larval stage this year.

Please feel free to message me if you want more info about where exactly any of these were found. Also, bear in mind that by the date I photographed the mine, the larva may already have turned into a pupa, and the adult insect may have already have hatched out, and flown away.

Charley also explained to me that if I find any of these mystery leafmines where the mine is still occupied by the larva, and if I don't want to try to raise them myself, which is likely to be the case (even though it is quite easy to do), in that case I could send the leaves to him, so he can raise the larvae.
.
.
IN NEW YORK CITY

*** RANDALL'S ISLAND

A mystery leafminer on Chenopodium ?murale in Encinitas, San Diego County, California: Sept 28th 2018.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/17014680

A mystery leafminer on Toyon in Encinitas, San Diego County, California: Sept 27th 2018.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/16975607
Another of the same thing on Toyon in Encinitas, San Diego County, California: Sept 27th 2018.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/16978404

In a leaf of Coastal Live Oak, Oct 1, 2018 -- not sure this one is a mystery.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/17107409
.

Posted on February 05, 2019 05:10 PM by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Comments

Wow! Good luck Susan!

Posted by anudibranchmom over 5 years ago

Actually I am not planning to try to raise leafminers to adulthood myself, because I have so much mollusk research to do, and so many mollusk papers to write.

But I figure many people might be interested to see these leafminers, to observe them for iNat, and maybe to raise them, which is not at all difficult. I can almost certainly help anyone here in the NYC region to find the leafmines of these particular mystery leafminers!

Posted by susanhewitt over 5 years ago

Add a Comment

Sign In or Sign Up to add comments