Insect Gall

Description:

Galls are abnormal plant growths caused by various organisms (insects, mites, fungi, nematodes, and bacteria). Closed galls are made by insects that have chewing mouth parts such as flies, beetles, wasps, and moths. Open galls are made by insects with insects with sucking or piercing mouth parts, like aphids and mites.

Habitat:

There are thousands of species of gall insects, bacteria and fungus in the United States. These galls were found in a snowy field on golden rod plants at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.

Notes:

These galls were spotted near the Pine Lake X-Country Ski Trail and restroom area. Galls can be formed on goldenrod plants by the goldenrod fly and the goldenrod moth. Larva spend the winter in the gall and in the spring the larva hatches inside and used the gall for food and shelter until it becomes an adult. Two weeks later it changes to an adult fly and scoots through the tunnel wall.