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GALL FORMING WEEVILS


When I saw plant galls for the first time I wanted to know what species there were to be found basically, and so I started collecting anything that looked like a plant gall. Boxes full of them I have now. Nowadays I think it is better for me to take pictures (digital or slides) and when you are interested in the gall maker itself, it is a good idea to try to get the inhabitants to emerge from the galls. The list of species described below are gall makers and their hosts, from species that I myself or another gall studying person has seen. A description is given and, were possible, a picture. For people who are interested in the Dutch distribution of pant galls can soon take a look at the database we are preparing for this website. Since the subject of plant galls becomes more popular only recently, we do not have yet such an extended database. Any contribution is welcome!
 
Klick the pictures for an enlargement

Apion rubens (Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae) can be found in leaves ofRumex acetosella. The gall is on the midrib or petiole and is up to 6 mm long and 2-3 mm thick (DvL). The surface is smooth and yellow and/ or red. The larvae is orange. I have only seen the galls one time on Schiermonnikoog, but perhaps there are some other people that know of places in the Netherlands where they occur?  

Gymnetron villosulum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a beautiful little weevil prachtig with a long, bend nose. The species uses the ovaries of Veronica anagallis-aquatica for its development and housing. The ovaries change into large green marbles with a little bump on top. Theylook much like a green pie of about 8 bij 5 mm in size. Apparently the species also occurs on Veronica catenataV. scutellata en V. beccabunga. The specimens on the pictures were found at the Millingerwaard, near Nijmegen. 
 

Smicronyx jungermanniae causes spindle shaped swellings in the stem of different species of dodder, zoals hier on greater dodder, Cuscuta europaea. The larvae were white with a dark head in early August of 2006. Probably the galls grow to be a bit bigger. According to DvL up to 8 by 5 mm, so that kind of fits the specimens I found. The galls can have one or two gall chambers, but I only found one larva in most of the galls that were opened. The galls are formed mostly in the stem close to the flowers.