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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Gnats, Gall Midges, and March Flies (Bibionomorpha) » Fungus Gnats and Gall Midges (Sciaroidea) » Gall Midges and Wood Midges (Cecidomyiidae) » Gall Midges (Cecidomyiinae) » Lasiopteridi » Oligotrophini » Rhopalomyia » Goldenrod Bunch Gall (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

Species Rhopalomyia solidaginis - Goldenrod Bunch Gall

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Adult fly emerging from pupal case - Rhopalomyia solidaginis - male

Another bunch gall fly - Rhopalomyia solidaginis - female

Goldenrod rosette/bunch gall, top - Rhopalomyia solidaginis

Goldenrod Bunch Gall - Rhopalomyia solidaginis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Bibionomorpha (Gnats, Gall Midges, and March Flies)

Superfamily Sciaroidea (Fungus Gnats and Gall Midges)

Family Cecidomyiidae (Gall Midges and Wood Midges)

Subfamily Cecidomyiinae (Gall Midges)

Supertribe Lasiopteridi

Tribe Oligotrophini

Genus Rhopalomyia

Species solidaginis (Goldenrod Bunch Gall)

Explanation of Names

Author: Loew, 1862

Identification

Eastman (1) states some other flies do make similar galls.

Gall is relatively distinctive--see photo.

Remarks

The female deposits an egg at the tip of the growing plant. Its larva secretes a chemical that prevents the goldenrod stem from growing although it continues to produce leaves, thus a shortened bunch of leaves is formed.

Print References

Arnett, p. 859, describes briefly (2)

Eastman, p. 154, illustrates gall. (1)

Internet References

Discover Life

Encyclopedia of Life

Revision of the Goldenrod Galling Rhopalomyia species. Page 29

Host-plant Genotypic Diversity Mediates the Distribution of an Ecosystem Engineer

Plant Soil

Works Cited

1.	The Book of Field and Roadside: Open-Country Weeds, Trees, and Wildflowers of Eastern North America John Eastman, Amelia Hansen. 2003. Stackpole Books.

2.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

Contributed by Cotinis on 28 January, 2005 - 11:44pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset
Last updated 24 May, 2015 - 6:04am

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