Females lay eggs on the surface of the leaves.
When eggs hatch the larvae burrow into the leaves and feed on plant tissue. The larvae are small, legless maggots that are frequently found next to main veins. Both larvae and adults cause damage to plants. Larval feeding results in slender, winding trails on the leaves, which form large, white blotches when mining becomes severe. Adults damage plants by carving small pits on the leaf surface with their ovipositor and feed on plant exudates.