Leafminer larvae are notorious for causing damage to a variety of garden vegetables and other important crops by feeding on the plant's leaves.
A more natural solution to the pesky problem is the leafminer parasite, a tiny, black, non-stinging wasp also known as the Diglyphus isaea.
The female parasitic insect searches for larvae leaf miners with their antenna. Once found, she will paralyze the miner and lay her eggs beside the dead body, to be used for food for her larvae offspring.
One female parasitic wasp alone can produce up to 300 eggs during her life span of four weeks making them beneficial for the population control of leafminers.
The newly hatched larva bugs feed on the body of the leaf miner larvae until they begin their next life cycle stage into an adult wasp where they will continue feeding and reproducing for future generations.
Many gardeners, farmers, and greenhouse owners prefer controlling the pesky insects using the leafminer parasites because pesticide solutions are not only harmful but oftentimes ineffective since the damaging bugs are protected inside of the plant's leaves. These helpful wasps are also a safe alternative since they will not attack animals or humans that may be nearby.
