Terellia serratulae explained

Terellia serratulae is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae.[1]

Description

Terellia serratulae can reach a length of about 4-. This bluish clear-winged fruit fly has a hairy abdomen with a chequered black pattern. The apex of the antennae is reddish or yellow-orange. In the females the length of the ovipositor corresponds approximately to the length of the last three abdominal segments (tergites).[2] [3]

The females deposit eggs into the opened thistle flowerheads. The young larvae start feeding on the achenes of thistles (mainly Cirsium and Carduus species), but they do not induce gall-forming. They develop in the flower-heads (capitulum) of thistles in a cocoon of silk and plant hairs (pappus). This univoltine species overwinters in the larval stage. Adults are on the wing from July to September.[4]

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found around thistles in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, in the Near East, and in North Africa.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Norrbom . A.L. . Carroll . L.E. . Thompson . F.C. . White . I.M . Freidberg . A. . Systematic Database of Names. Pp. 65-252. In Thompson, F. C. (ed.), Fruit Fly Expert Identification System and Systematic Information Database. . Myia . 1999 . 9 . vii + 524.
  2. http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/terellia-serratulae Nature Spot
  3. http://www.insektenbox.de/zweifl/terese.htm Insecten Box
  4. H Michaelis Competition of Urophora Stylata F. and Terellia Serratulae L. (Dipt., Tephritidae) in the Flowerheads of Cirsium Vulgare
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20141113131950/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=405667 Fauna Europaea