# 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.

- **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.

## About

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 .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b9390d24-f943-4cd1-9128-32725c0fd217
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/320034
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acericecis ocellaris
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/7785739/medium.jpg (Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.