''Verrallia aucta'' is a species of
fly in the family
Pipunculidae
Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large ( holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.
The larva ...
. It is found in the
Palearctic.
[Coe, R.L. (1966) Pipunculidae.''Handbook for the Identification of British Insects'', Vol. X (Part 2c): 1-83; Royal Entomological Society London]
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Hosts
Parasitoid on '' Philaenus spumarius''. Because ''P. s.'' is the most common vector (in Europe) of the invasive agricultural disease ''Xylella fastidiosa
''Xylella fastidiosa'' is an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium of the genus ''Xylella''. It is a plant pathogen, that grows in the water transport tissues of plants ( xylem vessels) and is transmitted exclusively by xylem sap-feeding insects such ...
'', ''V. aucta'' is of great interest as a biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also i ...
. Insecticide application can produce paradoxical target rebound by hitting ''V. aucta'' as well as the intended ''P. spumarius''. This is also a problem for tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shoveling, picking, mattock work, hoein ...
, but only specifically in April, due to the particularities of the ''V. aucta'' lifecycle. Although not terribly common anywhere, across all of Northern Italy it was most common in the Piedmont
it, Piemontese
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.
References
External links
Images representing ''Verrallia aucta''
at BOLD
Pipunculidae
Insects described in 1817
Diptera of Europe
{{Pipunculidae-stub