Preliminary study on the biology of the common reed gall-forming fly, Lipara lucens (Dip.: Chloropidae), in Urmia region, Iran

The common reed، Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel (Poaceae)، is a perennial rhizomatous grass that occurs all over the world and grows in a wide range of habitats. The chloropid Lipara lucens Meigen is a monophagous gall inducer at the apical part of common reed stems in Urmia region، Azarbaijan-e Gharbi province. A recent study on the biology of this species during the years 2011 and 2012 indicated that L. lucens completes a single generation annually and overwinters as mature larvae inside the gall where all of its developmental stages occur. The adults appear during the late April and early June. The females lay their eggs separately on the surface of leaves and stems of common reed. Female''s potential fecundity was calculated 87. 4 ± 19. 8 (range: 59-121). In natural conditions، the incubation period takes 10. 5 ± 1. 8 (range: 8-13) days. Upon hatching، the young larvae migrate to the top and enter the bud and gnaw their ways to the growing point. There are three larval stages that take more than 10 months to complete inside the gall. The mature larvae stay in the gall until mid-May of the following year. The pupal stage begins in early April and depending on environmental conditions lasts 19. 7 ± 5. 3 (range: 15-26) days. The new generation of adults appears in late April. The larvae of L. lucens were parasitized by Polemochartus liparae (Giraud) (Hym.: Braconidae) and Tetrastichus legionarius Giraud (Hym.: Eulophidae) in Urmia region. The species P. liparae was responsible for up to 48% of parasitism. Both species are newly recorded from Iran. The specimens of Cryptonevra flavitarsis Meigen (Dip.: Chloropidae) were found in L. lucens galls as well.