Diptera.info

Posted by MMignini on 11-04-2021 16:29

Hello,

I want to ask for your expertize on something I have never seen before.
I have photos coming from two different locations (Sardinia and Tuscany, Italy) showing an interesting phenomenon: very large pullulations of tiny yellow larvae crawling on the ground. The larvae are able to perform small jumps.
Interestingly, in both sites this pullulations occurred under Cupressus trees. The ground was covered with Cupressus male flowers.
I suspect that these are some Tephritoidea larvae, but I never came across something like that before.
Any ideas? Are there particular species linked with Cupressus trees?

1st photo (Sardinia):

Edited by MMignini on 11-04-2021 22:45

Posted by MMignini on 11-04-2021 17:32

!UPDATE!

Somebody just sent me new photos from a THIRD locality, also from Tuscany.
Also in this case the larvae are under Cypress trees...

Edited by MMignini on 11-04-2021 18:24

Posted by Jan Maca on 12-04-2021 08:57

Sciaridae are notorious for gregarious larvae. From the pictures it cannot be stated whether the larvae have nematoceran head capsule or not

Posted by MMignini on 12-04-2021 10:53

Jan Maca wrote:
Sciaridae are notorious for gregarious larvae. From the pictures it cannot be stated whether the larvae have nematoceran head capsule or not

Thank you for your feedback!
I am suspecting these are some Tephritoidea.
In the meantime I have been reading more and more reports of the same phenomenon appearing in other towns of Tuscany, always on bare ground and always under Cypresses.
A person sent me a close-up picture. I hope it is clear enough.
I add it here below.
Ulidiidae maybe?

Posted by MMignini on 21-03-2023 22:39

#11

Hello,

I'll resurrect this thread since, again, some regions of Italy are seeing an explosion of the above larvae, always under Cypress trees. With some news. I discovered that these larvae are able to JUMP, like miniature springs! I will try to post a video.
They are also always associated with the falling of the male cones of the Cypress, especially after strong wind, as it is visible in some of the previous photos.

Here I attach a better close-up of the larvae.

Thank you again for any idea!

Edited by MMignini on 21-03-2023 22:55

Posted by John Carr on 22-03-2023 01:07

#12

Falling from trees in such large quantities I think they have to be Cecidomyiidae if they are Diptera.

There are several species recorded from Cupressus in North America. In Europe, only from Juniperus in Cupressaceae.

Posted by MMignini on 22-03-2023 11:18

#13

@Paul Beuk and @John Carr, thank you for suggesting they could be gall midges. It might indeed be the right path.
It is all quite puzzling, since no one, to my knowledge, has ever seen these phenomenon in the past, until last year. This makes me think it could be some recently introduced species.
I am absolutely not an expert here. Tried to find similar cases online and have searched into some European entomological forums, without success.
I have read on https://bladminee...domyiidae/ that larvae of Contarinia sp. are able to jump. They also pupate on the ground. Maybe this could be a good start. I should look for Contarinia species developing on Cupressaceae. But it's such a large genus...

Edited by MMignini on 22-03-2023 11:19