Species Account for Merzomyia westermanni
Merzomyia westermanni (Meigen, 1826)
Diptera: other groups: Tephritidae
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Essex RDB: Listed
Additional Phenology Data
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Taxonomic group: flies (other) (Diptera: other groups) - County data
Species text
The species is scarce, with nearly all Essex records in the south of the county. Nationally it has a strongly southeastern distribution with almost all records south of a line between the Wash and Severn map in Clemons (2004). It is a gallfly, whose larvae form a gall in the flower head of Ragwort Senecio, especially Hoary Ragwort S. erucifolius. Infected plants are usually obvious because the swelling forces up groups of pappus hairs. References
Habitats
Recorded management for locations with Merzomyia westermanni
Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Merzomyia westermanni
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Interpretation of distribution maps