Eggplant - Leaf Miner?

[Shortstack]

Hi everyone,
Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Heading into the hotter part of the year and things are dying left right and centre BUT eggplant seems to be doing okay, however, one eggplant has this pattern on some leaves. Is this a tomato leaf miner.. or something entirely different? How do I treat this?
Thanks for any shared knowledge!

Cheers,
Mimi

 

[JP 1983]

Definitely looks like leaf miner.

There are multiple grubs which do this. Some are from a species of fly, others from the moth/butterfly family. The insects lay their eggs inside the leaf and the hatching grub/caterpillar eats its way around inside, resulting in those distinctive squiggly patterns. This means that contact control methods will not be effective. Apparently Neem oil is quite good, as that is a consumption control method and these maggots do plenty of eating!

I would also consider getting some sacrificial Sonchus (common sow thistle) around the garden (see my article on Sonchus here). If Sonchus is growing in your garden, the miner flies will absolutely target them. This may protect your eggplants from being thus targeted.

I found this article full of helpful suggestions regarding these bugs.

Cheers.

 

[daveb]

Definitely looks like leaf miner.

There are multiple grubs which do this. Some are from a species of fly, others from the moth/butterfly family. The insects lay their eggs inside the leaf and the hatching grub/caterpillar eats its way around inside, resulting in those distinctive squiggly patterns. This means that contact control methods will not be effective. Apparently Neem oil is quite good, as that is a consumption control method and these maggots do plenty of eating!

I would also consider getting some sacrificial Sonchus (common sow thistle) around the garden (see my article on Sonchus here). If Sonchus is growing in your garden, the miner flies will absolutely target them. This may protect your eggplants from being thus targeted.

I found this article full of helpful suggestions regarding these bugs.

Cheers.

ya i would lean toward leaf miner but one thing puzzles me any i have ever had are a continuous long erratic path, these the arcs look to consistent and arc too regular

 

[JP 1983]

ya i would lean toward leaf miner but one thing puzzles me any i have ever had are a continuous long erratic path, these the arcs look to consistent and arc too regular

Actually, now that you mention it, it could also be snail or slug damage?

 

[daveb]

yes i was wondering the same if a slug, i know pear and cherry slugs will sit and eat an arc like that move forward and do another they are like eating machines, time to set a few saucers with beer trap see what they trap