Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Diptera (True flies) ➔ Family Tephritidae (Fruit flies)

Terellia (Cerajocera) tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)

Banded Burdock Fly

Synonyms and other combinations:

Musca tussilaginis Fabricius, 1775 | Musca lappae Cederhielm, 1798 | Tephrytis impunctata Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 | Trupanea acanthi Schrank, 1803 | Trupanea tanaceti Schrank, 1803 |

  • Terellia tussilaginis, female 8384
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-07-17 11:33:41
    Image number: 8384
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2018-07-17 11:33:41
  • Terellia tussilaginis, male 8385
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-07-17 11:31:47
    Image number: 8385
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2018-07-17 11:31:47
  • Terellia tussilaginis, male 8386
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-07-17 11:35:38
    Image number: 8386
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2018-07-17 11:35:38
  • Terellia tussilaginis, male 8387
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-07-17 11:33:20
    Image number: 8387
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2018-07-17 11:33:20
  • Terellia tussilaginis, male 10692
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2022-07-24 13:03:18
    Image number: 10692
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2022-07-24 13:03:18
  • Terellia tussilaginis, male 10693
    Terellia tussilaginis (Fabricius, 1775)    Banded Burdock Fly 
    Terellia tussilaginis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2022-07-24 13:03:01
    Image number: 10693
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2022-07-24 13:03:01

Classification:
Terellia tussilaginis belongs to the subfamily Tephritinae, tribe Terelliini.
Distribution:
Throughout most of Europe.
Habitat:
Forest edges and clearings, roadsides, everywhere where burrs grow.
Description:
Terellia tussilaginis has a wing length of 3.8 - 5.3 mm. Body and legs are mostly yellowish. The scutum is covered by a dull grey-brown mark. The wings have a striking pattern. In females, the basal part of the ovipositor is yellow or orange.
Similar species:
There are similar looking species in the genera Chaetorellia and Chaetostomella.
Biology:
Adults of Terellia tussilaginis can be observed from June to August. The ones shown here were found on burdock, the host plants of larvae. The larvae develop mainly in the capitulum of the greater burdock (Arctium lappa), small burdock (Arctium minus) and woolly burdock (Arctium tomentosum). Other host plants are the common thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and the Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense).

References, further reading, links:
  1. Pape T. & Thompson F.C. (eds) (2017). Systema Dipterorum (version 2.0, Jan 2011). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2017 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Abucay L., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X.
  2. Ian M. White: Tephritid Flies Diptera: Tephritidae, Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects, Vol. 10, Part 5a, 1988, ISBN 0 901546 68 2.