Herbivorous: Inductor Insects

Insect galls are the highly distinctive plant structures formed by some herbivorous insects as their
own microhabitats. They are plant tissue which is controlled by the insect. Galls act as both the
habitat and food source for the maker of the gall. The interior of a gall can contain edible
nutritious starch and other tissues. Some galls act as "physiologic sinks", concentrating
resources in the gall from the surrounding plant parts.[3] Galls may also provide the insect with
physical protection from predators.[4][5]
Insect galls are usually induced by chemicals injected by the larvae or the adults of the insects
into the plants, and possibly mechanical damage. After the galls are formed, the larvae develop
inside until fully grown, when they leave. In order to form galls, the insects must seize the time
when plant cell division occurs quickly: the growing season, usually spring in temperate climates,
but which is extended in the tropics.
The meristems, where plant cell division occurs, are the usual sites of galls, though insect galls
can be found on other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, stalks, branches, buds, roots, and
even flowers and fruits. Gall-inducing insects are usually species-specific and sometimes tissuespecific on the plants they gall.
Inductor insects[edit]
Gall-inducing insects include gall wasps, gall midges, gall flies, Agromyzidae aphids (such
as Melaphis chinensis, Pemphigus spyrothecae, and Pemphigus betae), scale insects,
and psyllids. Various galls produced by insects and mites are listed below:
Ash Flower Gall: This gall is caused by a small mite that causes irregular distortion of
male flowers. The galls are initially green, then dry and turn brown.
Ash Midrib Gall: Normally 1/2 inch to 1 inch long, these galls are succulent and have
thick walls. A small cavity within each gall contains one or more small maggots, the larval
stages of very small flies called midges. Female midges lay their eggs in very young leaflets
during early spring. Gall formation begins soon after the eggs are laid. Specifics of the
biology of this insect are not known. The galls probably do not harm tree health.
Elm Cockscomb Gall: These distinct galls, caused by an aphid, are about 1" long and
about 1/4 inch high. The irregular edge of the gall and its red color at maturity account for the
common name. The galls dry, harden and turn brown as they age. Aphids may be seen
through a slit-like opening in the underside of the gall. This insect has a complex life cycle -it forms galls on elm in early summer, then feeds on grass roots later in the summer. The
galls apparently do not cause significant harm to the tree.
Hackberry Leaf Gall: This gall is caused by a small (1/10 inch long) aphid-like insect with
sucking mouthparts called a jumping plant louse. The adults spend the winter under bark
crevices and can invade houses in large numbers in the fall. Females lay eggs over a long
period of time beginning when leaves begin to unfold from the buds in the spring. Feeding by
the nymphs that hatch from these eggs causes abnormal plant growth that forms a
pouch.The psyllids remain inside the galIs until they emerge as adults in late summer to
early fall. There is one generation each year. Heavy infestations can result in premature leaf
drop which over a series of years may affect tree health.
Honeylocust Pod Gall :This gall is caused by a small fly (midge). The Sunburst cultivar
appears to be very susceptible to this pest. infested leaves have globular or pod-like
distortions that contain one to several small maggots (1/4" long). Infestations begin when
females lay eggs in young leaflets. There are five or more generations each year.Infested
leaves often drop prematurely and repeated damage can kill small branches. New shoots
develop at the base of dead twigs. As a result, the natural shape of the tree may be lost.
Oak gall: see Oak apple
Petiole and Stipule Galls: Thick globe-like galls can develop on leaf petioles and stems.
Many of these are caused by insects called phylloxerans (pronounced "fill OX erans"), which
are very similar to aphids. The hard, woody galls may remain on the tree for several years.
Usually, there is one generation each year and the insects over winter on the tree in the egg
stage.

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Insect galls are the highly distinctive plant structures formed by some herbivorous insects as their

Oak gall: see Oak apple

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