Robinia pseudoacacia, Bergen op Zoom: young, heavily infested leaf

Robinia pseudoacacia, Bemelen: underside of the leaf

larva

head and rear end

mouth cone and spatula

young pupa, not yet coloured

ripe pupa

detail

hostplants

Fabaceae, monophagous

Robinia pseudoacacia.

note

The eggs are deposited in the youngest, still developing leaflets. A gall may harbour up to four whitish or pale yellow larvae. In the course of summer there are three or four generations. Pupation is in the gall, except for the larvae of the last generation, that leave the mine and hibernate in the soil.

Like its hostplant a North American species; appeared in 2003 for the first time in Italy, and has expanded since quickly over Europe.

parasites

Gall midges are parasitised in particular by Platygastriae, a family of wasps. As one of the few wasp groups Platygastridae demonstrate polyembryony: the fact that several larvae hatch from a single egg. Platygaster robiniae Buhl & Duso, 2008 is the platygastrid parasitising on O. robiniae in Europe.

pupae of a parasitoid, probably Platygaster robiniae (Poland © Sébastien Carbonnelle)

references

Bálint, Neacşu, Balog ao (2010a), Béguinot (2010a), Bellmann (2012a), Buhl & Duso (2008a), Duso & Skuhravá (2003a), Flügel (2016a), Groom (2011a), Hellrigl (2006a), Kollár (2011a), Koops (2013a), Lambinon, Carbonnelle & Claerebout (2015a), Lambinon Schneider & Feitz (2012a), Lehmann & Flügel (2012a), Lehmann & Hannover (2016a), Molnar, Boddum, Szőcs & Hillbur (2009a), Olszanowska-Kuńka (2008a), Pellizzari (2010a), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Roskam (2009a), Roskam, van der Aa, van As ao (2008a), Roskam & Carbonnelle (2015a), Schneider & Walisch (2009a), Simova-Tošić (2008a), Skrzypczyńska (2007a), Skuhravá (2009a), Skuhravá & Skuhravý (2005a,c, 2007a, 2009a,b, 2010a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Buhr (2013a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Carbonnelle (2017a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Meyer (2014a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý, Skrzypczyńska & Szadziewski (2008a), Wermelinger & Skuhravá (2007a).