Bug FAQCabbage leafminer
Liriomyza brassicae · Order: Diptera · Family: Agromyzidae
Also called: Serpentine Leaf Miner
Source: Wikipedia
Its life cycle lasts up to 21 days, with larvae hatching in about four days and passing through three instars. Larvae mine the leaves of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese broccoli, causing damage to these crops.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are gray flies marked with black and yellow spots.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on plants in the genus Commelina.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The whole life cycle can be completed in up to 21 days. Eggs hatch in about four days; the larvae are yellow or green and have three growth stages.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found in the Pacific, Africa and the Americas.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The American serpentine leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii) and Liriomyza huidobrensis are closely related species. Liriomyza commelinae, another member of the genus, pupates within its leaf mine.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Hawaii, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the adult cabbage leafminer look like?
It is a gray fly with distinctive black and yellow spots.
Source: Wikipedia
How long does the cabbage leafminer’s life cycle take?
The life cycle can be completed in up to 21 days, with larvae hatching in about four days.
Source: Wikipedia
Which crops are affected by cabbage leafminer larvae?
The larvae mine the leaves of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese broccoli.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the cabbage leafminer found?
It occurs in the Pacific region, Africa and the Americas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Agromyzidae)
European Holly LeafminerPhytomyza ilicis
Jewelweed Leaf-miner FlyPhytoliriomyza melampyga
Agromyza vockerothiAgromyza vockerothiDamages trees, gardens or crops
Calycomyza flavinotumCalycomyza flavinotum
Nemorimyza posticataNemorimyza posticata
Dogwood leaf-mining flyPhytomyza agromyzinaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_leaf_miner
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.