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Locust Leafminer
(Arnold T. Drooz, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org)

Common Name: Locust Leafminer

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Chrysomelidae

Pest Status: Locust leaf miners can cause the leaves of trees to appear unsightly. High populations can cause minor injury.

Appearance: Adults are small, flattened beetles that are about 1/2-inch long. Their heads are black and the thorax and outer margins of the wing covers are orange. They have a prominent black dorsal stripe extending down their backs. The wing covers are deeply pitted and have three longitudinal ridges.

Life Cycle: Adults overwinter in bark crevices or leaf litter and emerge in the spring. Eggs are deposited on the underside of leaves. Upon hatching, the larvae feed together in blister-like mines. Shortly after, they disperse and excavate their own mines in preparation for pupation. There are two generations per year.

Where to Collect: Leaf miners are commonly found around fruit-bearing trees.