Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman, 1847)
locust gall midge
on Robinia
Robinia pseudoacacia, Hungary, Mosonmagyaróvár, 20.vii.2018 © László Érsek
detail
larva, ventral
Robinia pseudoacacia, Hungary, Budapest © László Érsek
a single gall

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).