Leaf-mining Larva - Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella

Moved

… Charley Eiseman, 20 September, 2008 - 9:51am

Thanks Charley,

It's nice to see this one get a name.

… Lynette Elliott, 20 September, 2008 - 10:09am

Do yo know what kind of maple?

Cranshaw(1) lists Maple leafminer (Phyllonorycter aceriella), a moth that mines "the upper leaf surface of red and sugar maples." The only other miner he lists for maple makes blotches rather than these curly trails, but that doesn't mean there aren't other possibilities.

I guess counting the prolegs might confirm it's a moth, if you still have it, too.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 14 May, 2006 - 7:54am

I added some pictures

and I think it might be a "Sweetgum" also called Redgum, Sapgum, Liquidambar styraciflua.

… Lynette Elliott, 21 May, 2006 - 1:39pm

I don't

I can try to figure it out, but I'm not very confident in my ability to ID trees.

… Lynette Elliott, 17 May, 2006 - 5:28am

I saw some trails like this o

I saw some trails like this on some leaves today but thought the insect? had already gone so didn't peer closer. Does this turn into something else or always look like this? Thank you.

… Isaiah, 21 May, 2006 - 4:13pm

Definitely a larva, so it will grow into something else

- the adult may be a moth, a sawfly, a fly or a beetle. The adults have wings (to fly and find a mate) so if the creature is still around and chewing it will usually look something like this.

Unfotunately Cranshaw(1) doesn't list any leafminers specific to sweetgum.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 21 May, 2006 - 5:28pm