A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Family: Tephritidae
Amongst the delicate flowers on this plant, there was one branch terminating in a cluster of leaves and in the centre of the cluster was a firm, pea-sized, deep maroon shiny globose structure. The growth had a rough exterior with small stiff hairs and a pointy tip. It was obvious that it was not part of the plant. The plant's flower buds can be seen in pic 4, on eof the flowers in pic 3 which will eventually develop fluffy silky seeds in loose tufts as in pic 5.
This was a gall probably of a fly but I was not going to open it as it was the only one on the plant.
Spotted on Olearia sp. ( Asteraceae) in a park.
Flies from the family Tephritidae are known to cause galls in Asteraceae. I can't find exact matches except or something similar from Italy
http://www.naturamediterraneo.com/forum/... <b>
I will keep looking for other spottings of this gall. Will provide reference when I find an ID.
Spotted on Nov 6, 2014
Submitted on Nov 8, 2014
No Comments