Agromyza apfelbecki

Agromyza apfelbecki

The Thistle Fly (Agromyza apfelbecki Strobl, 1902) is an insect belonging to the Agromyzidae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Sub-kingdom Eumetazoa,
Bilateria branch,
Phylum Arthropoda,
Subphylum Tracheata,
Superclass Hexapoda,
Insecta class,
Subclass Pterygota,
Endopterygota cohort,
Superorder Oligoneoptera,
Panorpoidea section,
Diptera Order,
Suborder Brachycera,
Cyclorrhapha cohort,
Schizophora Section,
Subsection Acalyptratae,
Agromyzidae family,
Genus Agromyza,
A. apfelbecki species.
The term is synonymous:
– Agromyza Andalucía Strobl. 1906.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
The thistle fly is a dipteran widespread in an area that includes southern Europe up to France and Germany but which develops in other areas of the world.

Morphology –
The thistle fly is a small Diptera whose adults are about 3-4 mm long; these have a blackish gray color and are slightly pubescent.
The larvae are endophytic and develop on the leaves.

Attitude and Life Cycle –
The phytophagous overwinters in the larva stage on infested vegetation in the spring and completes 2-3 generations per year depending on the climatic conditions.
The larvae live inside the plant tissues and develop on the leaves. in this stage they undermine the large ribs and the mesophyll adjacent to them.
The damage is represented by these mines which subsequently cause necrosis and leaf rot.

Ecological Role –
Agromyza apfelbecki is an insect that lives on some plants of the Asteraceae family, such as Cynara cardunculus and others.
This fly is generally controlled in the period of appearance of the first larval infestations using endotherapeutic products.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Russo G., 1976. Agricultural Entomology. Special Part. Liguori Editore, Naples.
– Tremblay E., 1997. Applied entomology. Liguori Editore, Naples.