Thistles
Guides
Terellia
Terellia is a genus of fruit flies in the family Tephritidae, comprising approximately 60 described species distributed across the Palearctic region. Species in this genus are primarily associated with thistles and related plants in the Asteraceae family, with larvae developing in flower heads (capitula) of their host plants. The genus includes several species groups (virens group, amberboae group, tarbinskiorum group) distinguished by morphological characters and host associations. Terellia ruficauda has been used as a biological control agent for Canada thistle.