Life Table Analysis for the Alfalfa Blotch Leafminer, Agromyza frontella in Central New York

Construction and analysis of life tables for consecutive generations of a field population of the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Rondani), for one growing season in central New York showed that the two most variable age-specific factors were survival of pupae and oviposition for that particular season. Observed oviposition ranged from 3 to 48% of potential oviposition; pupal survival ranged from 38 to 72% in nondiapausing generations. Large variation in these values probably resulted from the effects of alfalfa harvests on adult and pupal environments. Egg and larval survival varied little over three generations. Average survivorship from the egg to instar I, to instar II, to instar III, to the pupa, to the adult (♀ and ♂), and to the female adult, respectively, was 68, 55, 28, 16, 8, and 4%.