| Rabdophaga clavifex | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Cecidomyiidae |
| Genus: | Rabdophaga |
| Species: | R. clavifex |
| Binomial name | |
| Rabdophaga clavifex (Kieffer, 1891) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Bertieria rosariella Contents | |
Rabdophaga clavifex is a gall midge which forms galls on the buds of willow species.
The tree/shrub genus Salix supports many galls, some of which are difficult to identify, particularly those caused by the gall midges in the genus Rabdophaga. R. clavifex causes a cluster of hairy buds with a club-like swelling at the tip of the shoot on sallows. Each bud contains a red or orange larva. [2]
This species has been recorded in several European countries, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. [1] [3] In the UK R. clavifex has been found in Merseyside and Yorkshire. [4]