British fly miners
Agromyzidae
The majority of dipterous mines are due to the feeding activities of species of the family Agromyzidae, commonly called leaf-miners.
A total of 387 British species of Agromyzidae are included here although not all are leaf- and / or stem-miners. Some such as Agromyza erythrocephala, Phytomyxa wahlgreni, Melanagromyza cunctans and the three species of Hexomyza are gall-formers and Melanagromyza fabae is a root-feeder. Others, such as most other species of Melanagomyza, species of Phytobia and many others are stem-borers. In addition Gymnophytomyza heteroneura, Liriomyza lutea and eight species of Phytomyza are seed-feeders; and Phytomyza nigritula and Phytomya soenderupi are petiole miners.
The life-style of 58 species of Agromyzidae is currently unknown.
The only comprehensive account of the family Agromyzidae family in Britain is that of Spencer (1972). Although this includes a checklist of the then known host plants by family and their miners, the diagnostic features of the mines if mentioned are only described within the species-oriented keys to adults. Moreover, since that account was published, further host plants have been confirmed or rejected; a number of species new to Britain have been recorded; and the systematics of the family has undergone considerable revision (see Spencer, 1990).
Other British fly families
In addition to the species of Agromyzidae discussed here, this account covers the 74 species of British flies in the families Anthomyiidae, Chironomidae, Dolichopodidae, Drosophilidae, Ephydridae, Psilidae, Scathophagidae, Sciaridae, Syrphidae and Tephritidae that have been recorded as miners.