Urophora affinis (Frauenfeld, 1857)

on Centaurea

gall

one or more larvae (maggots) live, each in its own vertical cell, in the thickened and lignified receptacle; here also the pupation takes place. Because the gall acts as a nutrient sink, the plant’s vitality is reduced.

hostplants

Asteraceae, narrowly monophagous

Centaurea affinis, arenaria, calcitrapa, cariensis, diffusa, iberica, paniculata, pinetorum, spinosa, stoebe, virgata.

Also Carduus pycnocephalus ?

synonyms

Euribia affinis.

notes

applied in the United States in the biological control of the host plant.

references

Buhr (1964b), Dirlbeck & Dirlbeck (1994a), Klasa, Kaczorowska & Soszyński (2011a), Kütük, Yaran, Torbali, ao (2019a), Lang, Hansen, Richard & Ziolkowski (2000a), Mohamadzade Namin & Nozari (2011a), Neuenschwander & Freidberg (1983a), Shorthouse (1989a), White & Korneyev (1998a).