Aphidoletes? - Aphidoletes

Moved

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 12:51pm

Moved

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 9:15am

It is very likely one of the

It is very likely one of the predatory gall midges, but there are many different genera and it is very difficult to ID them - surely not possible from a picture.

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 9:15am

Thank you.

You would have to dissect one?

… Ashley Bradford, 13 July, 2010 - 9:52am

You would have to clear one i

You would have to clear one in KOH, they have characteristic sclerites in the anterior part (kind of the head) and also the hairs and small tubercles all over the body are characteristic. And the larvae of many species are unknown, and on top of it all, there are many undescribed species... and only less than a handful specialists all over the world...

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 10:05am

Thanks for the info

I've never heard of "clearing with KOH" before. Just read what KOH is, but not what it would do here.

It's amazing how much we know, and how much is still left to know! I'm surprised more isn't know about this natural aphid control, or maybe a bunch is known about only a couple common ones? Anyway, thank you.

… Ashley Bradford, 13 July, 2010 - 10:14am

KOH is used to clear specimen

KOH is used to clear specimens, so all the muscle and fat tissue is dissolved and the chitin is left, so you can make these orange larvae translucent and "empty" so you can study all the chitin structures. This method is often used for male genitalia, they get soaked for 24h in KOH and then all the muscle is gone and they are transparent and much easier to study...

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 10:44am

Ah, how strange

Thanks for the explanation!

… Ashley Bradford, 13 July, 2010 - 10:57am

How many of the images

currently in that genus actually belong there? Should they be moved out?

… John R. Maxwell, 13 July, 2010 - 10:12am

I just asked an expert for th

I just asked an expert for these flies for advise... lets see what Ray Gagne has to say...

… Martin Hauser, 13 July, 2010 - 10:45am