Two small flies for id please

[laetoli]

Please could someone id these two for me. They were both very small. It's surprising how intricate some beasts look up really close when they look so ordinary to the naked eye.
Thanks,
Paul

[JRsbugs]

I have the first one, I identified it as Phytomyza krygeri for reasons given in the link.. it was agreed. These are really only possible to ID if you have the host plant, it looks to be on Aquilegia flowers.

Diptera.info - Discussion Forum: Agromyzidae Phytomyza sp.? female

Second one looks like Coenosia sp.

Janet

[laetoli]

Thanks Janet. Yes, well-identified - the flowers are aquilegia. Oh dear, another leaf-miner. Getting a lot of those this year. Well, in some anchusa seedlings and some rudbekia,l anyway... can only tell by the damage ...and in aquilegia it would appear. Never mind. My cherries got savaged by leaf-miners a couple of years ago but they have been touched since and I promise I haven't taken any steps to keep them away.
Best wishes,
Paul

[JRsbugs]

No it's not a leaf miner Paul, read all I had put in the thread and you will find they feed in seed pods, that's why they inject their eggs into the flower spurs.

Leaf miners are not too much of a problem, many will provide food for other insects in the food chain and most mined leaves are from deciduous or herbaceous plants so unless there is absolute massacre they are best left alone. You will find more insects to investigate anyway. Treating the problem with chemicals can actually kill off many other beneficials, nature had it sorted well before man interfered, as you found with your cherry tree nature did it for you.