This miner/borer tunnels through the thin layer of pith lining the inside of the hollow stems of Indian plaintain, Arnoglossum/Cacalia. There is something very similar inside stems of Prenanthes



and Arnoglossum and Prenanthes are both composites, so it'll be interesting to learn how closely related these two flies are (or perhaps they're even the same species!).

I'm struggling with how to categorize such feeding behavior (miner or borer?). Perhaps "pith miner" would be an appropriate label.

Placing in Melanagromyza tentatively based on internal feeding habit and straw-colored puparium

Rearing in progress