Posted by John v on 21-12-2021 07:57
#1
On October 3rd I collected a stem of Maianthemum sp. (Ruscaceae) here in Iowa, USA that was being tunneled by a large fly larva. The puparium it formed in the stem a few days later was about 6.3mm long. I later found a similar puparium in a tunneled stem of the same host plant at another site nearby.
I specialize in studying stem fauna, and spend a lot of time with agromyzids in that work, but this is no agromyzid. The anterior spiracles seem somewhat distinctive.
This fly appears to overwinter in the puparium stage. I'm keeping the individuals I collected under refrigeration for the winter and will attempt to rear adults in the spring. Of course that doesn't always work out so I'm curious if someone might recognize this by the immature stages and host information.
Edited by John v on 21-12-2021 08:13
Posted by John v on 21-12-2021 08:04
#2
Puparium in stem, 16 October 2021
Edited by John v on 21-12-2021 08:15