Phytomyza lappae

Description

The larvae of this species mine the leaves of Burdock (Arctium) species. The leafmine is a long, narrow, linear mine which often follows a vein and can appear angular because of this. Many larvae may occur on a single leaf.

See the National Agromyzidae Recording Scheme webpage for this species for further details of puparium and adult insect.

Similar Species

Chromatomyia syngenesiae

ref.: Warrington, B.P. (2023).  Phytomyza lappae. Accessed at https://agromyzidae.co.uk/species/agromyzidae/phytomyzinae/phytomyza/ph… on 13/12/2023)

Identification difficulty

Leafmine Adult

Recording advice

Leafmine: Please add a back-lit image of the leafmine to show the frass and also add a note of the host plant.

Habitat
When to see it

Click on the 'further details' link in the 'Description' section above.  Then click on the Phenology tab which will provide phenology details for both adult and larval stages.

Leafmines are most likely to be found between May and November.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

Warrington, B. P. 2022. A provisional review of the status of Agromyzidae in Great Britain & Northern Ireland

VC55 Status

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
insect - true fly (Diptera)
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Agromyzidae
Records on NatureSpot:
74
First record:
25/08/2011 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
23/07/2025 (Cunningham, Sally)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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