Lipara rufitarsis, a fly cf the family Chloropidae (grass flies., shoot flies, gall flies), is native to Eurasia. It is found only on Phragmites australis (Common Reed). Early records (1931) of L. lucens mat have referred to to L. rufitarsus, which is now widespread from Massachusetts to New Jersey. It was collected in Chesapeake Bay tidal Phragmites marshes near Tappahannock, and in Dameron Marsh, Northumberland County, Virginia in 2000. It is also widespread in coastal marshes in Rhode Island. This fly is probably now widespread in tidal marshes in the northeast US on native and invasive Phragmites. The adult fly is 3.5-5.5 mm long. The flies lay their eggs on the stems of reeds, and move to apical region of the stem, where they damage internodal tissues, creating a gall . Galls do not appear to greatly affect the growth or survival of the plants.