Ocellate Gall Midge
Acericecis ocellaris
The bright yellow and red 'eyespots' on the leaves are actually a collaborative effort between the midge larva and a symbiotic fungus it carries.
- Scientific name
- Acericecis ocellaris
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Diptera › Cecidomyiidae › Acericecis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, mixed woodlands, and suburban parks containing maple trees.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on maple leaf plant tissue and associated fungal mycelium; adults rarely feed, focusing solely on reproduction.
- Range
- Eastern United States, Eastern Canada
- Size
- Adults: 2-3 mm; Galls: 5-8 mm in diameter.
- Lifespan
- Adults live for only 1 to 3 days; total life cycle is 1 year.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Deforestation, widespread pesticide use, and loss of native maple species.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. The ocellate gall midge is completely safe to observe. You will most likely encounter their colorful, target-shaped 'eyespots' on maple leaves rather than the elusive, tiny adult midges. Feel free to photograph the leaves closely; no special precautions are necessary.
Acericecis ocellaris , known generally as ocellate gall midge , is a species of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae. Other common names include the maple eyespot gall and maple leaf spot gall .
Photo: Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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