In a 1978 study, the maximum number of eggs laid per leaf was found to be five, with no more than two reaching the larval stage.

[6] The same study found an average of 38.6 eggs per 100 leaves on a single plant and that of these only 9.85% survive to produce viable, healthy larvae once natural mortality, and parasite and predatory factors are considered.

[8] Up to three mines may occur on a leaf – often much less than the number of oviposition scars, suggesting that intra-leaf competition has taken place.

A leaf which has been mined may remain present on the host plant for an extended period, usually up to 5 years and exceptionally up to 8.

[12][13] One of the most prominent predators is the blue tit Parus caeruleus, which leaves a characteristic V-shaped tear in the leaf.

[14] A 1983 study rejected the hypothesis that less-prickly holly leaves suffered a higher predation rate by tits.

[14] In a study of parasitism published in 2000, it was recorded that of a large sample of mines 94 emerged as adult flies and 256 had succumbed to parasitoids.