The serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard, is one of the most serious worldwide pests of a great variety of vegetables and ornamental crops. It was first recorded in China in the Hainan province in 1993. Since then it has spread to the most regions of China, and it has attacked a wide variety of crops causing great economic losses. Previous studies have shown that the leafminer has different preferences for host plants. The mechanism on its host selection, however, is so far unknown. In this pap...