Spotted-knapweed
Guides
Chaetorellia
Chaetorellia is a genus of tephritid fruit flies (family Tephritidae) containing approximately 11 described species. Species in this genus are specialists on Asteraceae flower heads, with larvae developing within capitula and feeding on developing florets and seeds. Several species have been investigated or deployed as biological control agents against invasive thistles and knapweeds, particularly yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis). The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features and host-specificity patterns that have been taxonomically revised.