Terellia tussilaginis

Terellia tussilaginis, the gall fly, is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae.^[5]

Terellia tussilaginis
Terellia tussilaginis, female with ovipositor
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Tephritidae
Subfamily:	Tephritinae
Tribe:	Terelliini
Genus:	Terellia
Species:	T. tussilaginis
Binomial name
Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
Musca lappae Cederhielm, 1798[2] Musca tussilaginis Fabricius, 1775[1] Tephrytis impunctata Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[3] Trupanea acanthi Schrank, 1803[4] Trupanea tanaceti Schrank, 1803[4]

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe, in European Russia and in the East Palearctic ecozone.^[6][7]

Habitat

These flies inhabit meadows, gardens and where the host plants grow.

Description

Mating couple

Terellia tussilaginis can reach a body length of about 5 millimetres (0.20 in). These fruit flies have a pale green yellow body with distinctive brown banding on its wings.^[8] The costal cell is completely hyaline. Katepisternum shows reddish spots. The anterior half of mesonotum is reddish to brown. Tergite 4 is usually black.^[9]

Biology

Adults can be seen from June to August.^[8] The larvae live in the flowerheads of Arctium lappa, Arctium minus, Arctium tomentosum and Cirsium vulgare, feeding on them and causing galls to form.^[8][10][11]