Fighting Leaf Miners in the Garden

Fighting Leaf Miners in the Garden

Safer® Brand often gets gardening and insect questions on its Facebook page. If you have a question of your own, reach out to Safer® Brand on Facebook, and maybe we'll feature your question as an article, just like this one: 

Dear Safer® Brand,

I finally diagnosed my bug problem! They're called "leaf miners," and I've never heard of such a bug! What in the world are they after? How do I get rid of them?

Safer Brand Logo

Leaf miners got their name because in their larval stage while they are feeding on your plants, they go deep into the stem so we don’t know of any truly effective spray for the larval stage of this insect (organic or chemical)…The larval stage typically lasts about 3 weeks. To treat this problem… first give your plants some fertilizer. (Talk to your local garden center specialist if you’re not sure which to buy for the type of plant) The fertilizer will help your plant grow despite the damage.

We recommend using our new End ALL® Insect Killer (with Neem Oil, Pyrethrin and Insecticidal Soap) to kill the eggs and adults of this insect to prevent a next generation of infestation after this one matures. You’ll want to spray every 7-10 days for at least 3 weeks to make sure you get all the adults and their eggs as the larvae develop. If you want to try to kill the larvae you could order parasitic wasps online. They are a beneficial insect that will feed on and kill these pests while they are still in the plant.

Our Insect Library is an excellent resource for more information visit: https://www.saferbrand.com/advice/insect-library

To learn more about these specific insects go to:

  Canada

Visit Our
Canadian Store