Kiefferia pericarpiicola

Kiefferia pericarpiicola

Description

The larva of the midge Kiefferia pericarpiicola causes a striking gall to form primarily in the flowerheads of the host plant, which is usually Wild Carrot. The galls occur in clusters. Each gall starts off greenish-yellow and eventually turns bright purplish-red to brown; it is up to 5mm in diameter and contains a single orange larva of the midge. 

Identification difficulty

Gall  Adult

Habitat

Galls occur on the developing fruits or within the stalks of individual flower of Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip, Burnet Saxifrage or other umbellifer.

When to see it

Galls may be found from late summer to autumn.

Life History

Larvae leave the gall and pupate in the soil.

UK Status

Primarily coastal and mainly found in the more southerly areas of England.

VC55 Status

Uncommon or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. 

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

No additional images available for this species.

All NatureSpot records