Spear-thistle Gall-fly

So tiny they're almost invisible amongst the thistle spines, these little flies, with incredible emerald green eyes, are natures answer to thistle control.

The Spear-thistle Gall-fly. Urophora stylata, are used as a biological weapon to knock back the spread of thistles. They lay their eggs in the seeds and the larvae feed on them preventing germination. Hopefully these will breed to stop the thistle rampage in the next field although, I fear, there aren't enough to do any significant damage.