Urophora sirunaseva

(Hering, 1938)

Yellow Starthistle Gall Fly

Urophora sirunaseva is a tephritid fruit fly native to southern Europe and western Asia. It has been introduced to western North America as a agent targeting yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), an weed. The is highly -specific, developing only in the seedheads of this single plant species. It is , with two per year, and overwinters as mature larvae within seedheads.

Urophora sirunaseva by (c) Cindy Roessler, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cindy Roessler. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Urophora sirunaseva: /ˌjʊə.rəˈfɔː.rə ˌsɪr.ʊ.nəˈsiː.və/

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Habitat

Associated with yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) in open, disturbed including grasslands, rangelands, and agricultural areas. Larval development occurs exclusively within the seedheads of this plant.

Distribution

Native to Greece, Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine, and Israel. Introduced and established in western North America, specifically California, Idaho, and Washington.

Seasonality

. of the overwintered emerge from late April to late May; the F1 generation emerges from mid June to mid July.

Diet

Larvae feed within the seedheads of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), developing in the flower capitula. The is monophagous, restricted to this single plant.

Host Associations

  • Centaurea solstitialis - primary yellow starthistle; sole for larval development

Life Cycle

are deposited between single florets in young buds and hatch within 9–10 days. Development from egg to requires 25–26 days under semi-natural conditions. Larval and pupal mortality is approximately 50%. The overwinters as mature larvae in seedheads. Females live up to 36 days and lay up to 270 eggs each.

Behavior

copulate frequently throughout their lives. Oviposition begins 4–6 days after female . The rate of seedhead is patchy across plant .

Ecological Role

herbivore that reduces seed production of yellow starthistle. Introduced function as a agent against this weed in North America.

Human Relevance

Used as a agent for yellow starthistle in California, Idaho, and Washington. The was selected for introduction based on demonstrated specificity.

Sources and further reading