Rabdophaga clavifex explained

Rabdophaga clavifex is a gall midge which forms galls on the buds of willow species.__TOC__

Description

The tree/shrub genus Salix supports many galls, some of which are difficult to identify, particularly those caused by the gall midges in the genus Rabdophaga. R. clavifex causes a cluster of hairy buds with a club-like swelling at the tip of the shoot on sallows. Each bud contains a red or orange larva.^[1]

Distribution

Found in the following European countries; Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.^[2] In the UK R. clavifex has been found in Merseyside and Yorkshire.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Book: Redfern. Margaret. Shirley. Peter. Bloxham. Michael. British Plant Galls. 2011. FSC Publications. Shrewsbury. 978-1-85153-284-1. 282–299. Second.
2. Georgiev. Georgi Tsvetkov. Sakalian. Vladimir. Ivanov. Kaloyan. Boyadzhiev. Peter. Insects reared from stems and branches of goat willow (Salix caprea L.) in Bulgaria. J Pest Sci. 2004. 77. 3. 151–3. 10.1007/s10340-003-0044-z. 23195926. 13 August 2017.
3. Web site: Rabdophaga clavifex (Kieffer, 1891). NBN Atlas. 15 August 2017.