A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Rhabdophaga strobiloides
“Pine-cone willow gall” is caused by a gall midge, Rhabdophaga strobiloides. This dipteran (related to flies and mosquitoes) deposits an egg in the developing terminal leaf buds of the willow in early spring. The larva releases a chemical which interferes with the typical leaf and branch development of the willow, instead causing the formation of this cone-like structure. The adult dipteran emerges the following spring, after having spent the winter in the gall.
temperate forest, urban edge
I spotted this in Allens sand pit on the edge of town. This was last year's gall.
3 Comments
Thanks Jake.
How cool! I
I´ve spotted something similar: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/639...
but I´m not sure if Rhabdophaga strobiloides causes it in Europe