Where do boxwood leafminer larvae overwinter?

Where do boxwood leafminer larvae overwinter?

• A. Inside leaf blisters.
• B. In the soil around the plant base.
• C. In the bark crevices of stems.
• D. In the leaf mines during summer.

Answer: (A)

Overwintering sites for boxwood leafminer larvae are inside the leaf tissue, specifically within the leaf blisters they produce. After feeding in the leaves, the larvae remain protected in these blisters as winter approaches, resuming development in spring to pupate and emerge as adults. The leaf tissue inside those blisters provides the shelter needed to survive cold conditions. Soil, bark crevices, or simply staying in the mines during summer wouldn’t offer the same protected overwintering habitat for these larvae.

Overwintering sites for boxwood leafminer larvae are inside the leaf tissue, specifically within the leaf blisters they produce. After feeding in the leaves, the larvae remain protected in these blisters as winter approaches, resuming development in spring to pupate and emerge as adults. The leaf tissue inside those blisters provides the shelter needed to survive cold conditions. Soil, bark crevices, or simply staying in the mines during summer wouldn’t offer the same protected overwintering habitat for these larvae.