Leaf fall as a source of leaf miner mortality

Leaf miner deaths resulting from the death of their leaves were assessed by collecting falling leaves of holm oak and beech. The PhylIonorycter mines thus cap- tured were examined to ascertain the cause of death. For both mining species the mortality from leaf shedding ac- counted for less than 2.8% of the mining cohorts. It is argued that the level of mortality is insufficient for popula- tion regulation, as has been previously suggested.