Contarinia petioli

Contarinia petioli

Description

The gall midge Contarinia petioli has a larva that causes a gall to form on the petiole (stalk) of Aspen leaves. The gall is seen more often than the midge. The gall is globular or pear shaped, 3 to 8 mm across and sometimes reddens.

It can occasionally occur in the stem at the junction with a petiole, and also it seems where the petiole enters the leaf.

Similar Species

The moth Ectoedemia argyropeza causes small elongated galls on Aspen petioles

Identification difficulty

Gall  Adult

Habitat

On Aspen.

When to see it

The gall can be seen in late summer or early autumn.

Life History

The galls contain one, or a few chambers, each with one orange larva; a circular opening develops in mature gall through which larva leave.

UK Status

Records are widely scattered in Britain but the species is little recorded.

VC55 Status

Very few records for Leicestershire and Rutland, but this may be purely due to under recording.

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