Infraorder Bibionomorpha (Gnats, Gall Midges, and March Flies)
Superfamily Sciaroidea (Fungus Gnats and Gall Midges)
Family Cecidomyiidae (Gall Midges and Wood Midges)
Subfamily Cecidomyiinae (Gall Midges)
Supertribe Cecidomyiidi
Tribe Asphondyliini
Genus Asphondylia (Bud gall midges)
Species betheli (Asphondylia betheli)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Asphondylia betheli Cockerell, 1907
Asphondylia opuntiae Felt, 1908
Explanation of Names
Named for Ellsworth Bethel (1863-1925), a botanist who collected the larvae Cockerell described as adults.
Range
Southwestern North America (Boulder, Colorado south to Los Angeles, Oaxaca, Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of Texas). The midge is not found in Opuntia north or east of Colorado.(1)
Life Cycle
Larvae overwinter in fruit. Adults emerge in spring when flower buds appear (early spring in the south, late spring in the north).
Remarks
Larvae infest Opuntia (prickly pear) fruit and rarely Cylindropuntia (cholla).