Australia
Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
Eggs are elongated and red-orange in color. Larvae are yellow to orange and up to 2 mm long. Pupae are a yellowish-orange, becoming darker orange as they mature. Adults are very small (3 mm long) and have dark red bodies, tan heads, and pale gray wings and legs. They have fine, delicate legs and antennae.
This species reproduces year-round, resulting in multiple overlapping generations. Females lay up to 160 eggs singly or in small groups on young melaleuca stems, buds, and leaves. Larvae burrow into stem or leaf tissue, and enzymes in their saliva initiate the formation of galls. Though galls develop in stems, buds, and leaves, it is stems that are most heavily galled. Larvae feed within galls through three instars. Galls may have single chambers housing one individual or several chambers, each housing a single larva. Larger galls can be a few inches (several cm) long. Pupation occurs within galls. Adults are sexually mature upon emergence and live for up to five days. There are multiple overlapping generations per year.
Galling halts the growth of young, infested stems on mature melaleuca trees and kills small seedlings and saplings.
Smith, M.C. and M.B. Rayamajhi. 2022. Melaleuca Biocontrol Agents: History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2022-26-MELALEUCA-A. https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/25232.pdf