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Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 56
THREE SPECIES OF CECIDOMYIIDAE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE SUFFOLK DIPTERA CHECKLIST JERRY BOWDREY
Contarinia solani Rübsaamen, 1892 Larvae of C. solani induce galls in the flowers of Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet). The flowers remain closed, become swollen and contain several white larvae. Several individual flowers in an inflorescence may be galled. (Figs. 1 & 2). Figure 1. Galled inflorescence Figure 2. Galled flower
J. Bowdrey
Summary Three species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) are added to the Suffolk Diptera Checklist, all recorded in 2020. Introduction Part two of the Suffolk Diptera Checklist (Vincent, 2019)*, covering the infraorder Bibionomorpha, listed 98 species of Cecidomyiidae for the county. Field work during 2020 has added three new species to this total from records of their galls. Nomenclature of cecids follows the Dipterists Forum Checklist (2020). Species new to the Suffolk Diptera Checklist:
Dasineura kiefferi Marchal, 1896 Larvae of Dasineura kiefferi gall the flowers of Hedera helix (Ivy). They are gregarious and whitish in colour. The flower bud remains closed and may protrude slightly above ungalled flowers in the Figure 3. galled flower, top Figure 4. from above inflorescence. A purplish right. tinge distinguishes the galled buds from their ungalled neighbours. (Fig. 3 flower top right, Fig. 4 from above). The gall is hard to detect and is found at low densities amongst the profusion of ivy flowers in early autumn. It also has a short duration on the plant, falling at maturity. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 56 (2020)
J. Bowdrey
Recorded from S.E. England and N. Wales (Redfern et al., 2011) New to Suffolk: TM36 East Suffolk, TM394661 Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Tiggins Lane 2.viii.2020, several galled flowers on a hedgerow plant. JPB.
DIETDIPTERA CHECKLIST ADDITIONS TO THEOTTER SUFFOLK
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Dasineura praticola (Kieffer, 1892) Flower buds of Silene flos-cuculi (Cuckoo Flower) become swollen and spherical, remaining closed with the petals thickened at the base. (Fig. 5 top left flower). A single redorange larva occupies each gall. This seems to be a genuinely rare species and its distribution in Britain and Europe is reviewed by Bowdrey (in press). Rarely found (Redfern et al., 2011). New to Suffolk: TM46 East Suffolk TM420692 Darsham, Darsham Marshes Nature Reserve 28.v.2020, on S. flos-cuculi by a mown path. JPB.
J. Bowdrey
Widespread but uncommon (Redfern et al., 2011) (but almost certainly underrecorded). New to Suffolk: Five records from TM36: East Suffolk TM387650 Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Dennys Lane 6.x.2020 on ivy in garden hedge. JPB. East Suffolk TM397686 Yoxford, Public Footpath by Rookery Park 9.x.2020, on ivy in a hedge. JPB. East Suffolk TM388644 Kelsale-cum-Carlton, allotments 11.x.2020 on hedgerow ivy. JPB. East Suffolk TM374646 Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Carlton Green 11.x.2020, on ivy in hedge. JPB. East Suffolk TM383664 Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Simpson’s Fromus Valley Reserve 15.x.2020 on ivy by the entrance track from the A12. JPB.
Figure 5. galled flower, top left.
Despite a thorough search, only one galled flower was located amongst extensive stands of the host plant. The flower was distorted and stood out amongst ungalled flowers and developing capsules. On carefully displacing a petal, a red-orange larva was revealed. The gall was photographed and left in situ. A subsequent search of two other known colonies of the host plant at Reydon Wood and Theberton Woods proved negative. Acknowledgement Thanks to Suffolk Flora Preservation Trust for encouraging recording at Simpson’s Fromus Valley Reserve.
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 56 (2020)
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Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 56
References Bowdrey, J. P. (in press). Dasineura praticola (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a gall midge on Silene flos-cuculi (Caryophyllaceae) from Suffolk, England, with a brief review of its status and European distribution. Cecidology. Dipterists Forum (2020). An update of the 1998 Checklist of Diptera of the British Isles www.dipterists.org.uk Redfern, M., Shirley, P & Bloxham, M. (2011). British plant galls. 2nd. Ed. Preston Montford, Field Studies Council. Vincent, P. (2019). The Diptera of Suffolk. Part Two. Suffolk Natural History 55: 1-27.
*Correction: in Vincent (2019) all records attributed to ‘J.P.Bowdey’ should read J. P. Bowdrey. Jerry Bowdrey 10, Dennys Lane Kelsale IP172PD
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 56 (2020)