Diastrophus rubi
This record describes Diastrophus rubi (species). Recorded family: Cynipidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Diastrophus rubi is a gall wasp which affects Bramble ( Rubus fruticosus agg.). The galls is an elongated swelling, usually causing the stem to bend, with a bumpy surface, each bump containing a separate gall chamber. Often the old, vacated galls are found with multiple exit holes; these can persist for many years. It is a bisexual species; after mating, fertilised eggs develop into females and unfertilised eggs into males. Males are rare in some populations, and the species may be moving towards a parthenogenetic life-cycle where males are absent Lasioptera rubi is a gall-midge that causes similar swellings on bramble stems,
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Cynipidae
- Genus
- Diastrophus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Diastrophus rubi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
