Agromyzid leafminers and their parasites in Iraq

Abstract

Following heavy infestations of garden pea (Pisum sativum) by leadmining insects at an experimental farm near Baghdad in 1963, collections of infested leaves from crop plants and associated weeds were made in 1963–1965 in central and souther Iraq and teh insects emerging from them identified. These included the following six pieces of Agromyzid flies: Phytomyza atricornis Mg., Liriomyza congesta (Beck.), L. Brassicae (Ril), L. strigata (Mg.,) Liriomyza sp. and Agromyza nana Mg. Of these, P. atricornis was the most abundant and widely distributed, followed by L. congesta.P. atricornis was found on a wide range of hosts, of which P. sativum and Taraxacum monochlamydeum wwre those most attacked. Six species of Hymenopterous parasites were recorded from P. atricornis and these are listed.