Cover Caption

The pea leafminer ( Liriomyza huidobrensis ) is a notorious pest of vegetables and ornamental plants worldwide. However, no sex pheromones are reported in this species and the knowledge about its courtship and mating is limited. Using laser‐vibrometry, we found that male and female leafminers exchange substrate‐borne vibration signals to communicate. Sexually mature male spontaneously emits calls (MCs, dominant frequency around 300 Hz) to initiate the duets. The female responds to MCs rapidly (FRs, dominant frequency about 78 Hz), which further trigger male replies (MRs, dominant frequency of 66 Hz) and search. The playback of these signals can successfully elicit reaction of the opposite sex. This study paves an avenue for the development of new strategy to trap the Liriomyza insect pests (see pages 510–522). Photo provided by Jin Ge.