First report of willow gall midge Rabdophaga heterobia (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) from Iran, with some of its biological characteristics in the province of West Azarbaijan

The cecidomyiid species Rabdophaga heterobia (Loew) induces gall on willow's male catkins, and causes small rosettes at the extremities of shoots and swollen lateral buds or lateral rosettes on some species of willow. During the years 2006-2007, a study on willow pests in the West Azarbaijan province (Saatloo Poplar Research Station) was conducted. The following nine willow species were used in this study: Salix elborsiensis, S. triandra, S. excelsa, S. elaegnosa, S. babylonica, S. alba, S. aegyptiaca, S. pycnostachya, and S. matsudana. The willow species S. triandra was found to be the only host for the gall-inducing cecidomyiid. This is the first record of R. heterobia from Iran.