Nettle gall midge (Dasineura urticae), artwork. Top view of a female with closed wings. The nettle gall midge has one pair of wings which are covered

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Nettle gall midge (Dasineura urticae), artwork. Top view of a female with closed wings. The nettle gall midge has one pair of wings which are covered in many hairs. To stabilise it in flight it has knob shaped organs known as halteres, seen on either side of the abdomen. Located at the rear of the abdomen is a prominent ovipositor. The ovipositor can extend to the length of the abdomen and is used to lay her eggs between hairs and veins on the surface of stinging nettle leaves (Urtica dioica).

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Size: 4169px × 5544px
Photo credit: © DR KEITH WHEELER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anatomical, anatomy, animal, antennae, artwork, biological, biology, compound, desineura, diagram, diptera, drawing, entomology, eye, eyes, fauna, female, flies, fly, gall, illustration, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, midge, nature, nettle, ovipositor, parasite, parasitic, reproduction, reproductive, structures, true, uritcae, wildlife, zoological, zoology