ash bead gall mite

(Aceria fraxini)

Conservation Status
ash bead gall mite
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

not listed

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Ash bead gall mite occurs in eastern North America from New Brunswick to Minnesota south to Alabama and Nebraska. It is uncommon in the Midwest based on the number of reported sightings, but it is probably underreported.

Ash bead gall mite is robust, spindle-shaped, yellowish, and just 1100 (210 to 260 microns) in length. It is large enough to be seen by the naked eye without magnification. The identifying features are the shape of the claws, the texture on the back plate (dorsal shield), the presence or absence of microscopic bumps on the second body segment, and the flap covering the female genitalia. None of these features can be seen without a microscope. However, identification in the field is easily made by noting host species and the properties of the abnormal growths (galls) it produces.

The galls appear on the leaves of green ash and white ash. When present, there are usually several galls scattered randomly on the lateral veins of a single leaflet. Each gall is a small, kidney-shaped, greenish-yellow capsule.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1100 (210 to 260 microns)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Green ash and white ash

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

 

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

The life cycle apparently requires alternation of generations. Adults emerge on the underside of the leaf in late summer.

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 29, 30.

 
  5/23/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Uncommon

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Arachnida (arachnids)  
  Subclass Acari (mites)  
  Superorder Acariformes (mites)  
 

Order

Trombidiformes  
 

Suborder

Prostigmata (prostigs)  
  Infraorder Eupodina  
 

Superfamily

Eriophyoidea  
 

Family

Eriophyidae (gall and rust mites)  
 

Subfamily

Eriophyinae  
 

Tribe

Aceriini  
 

Genus

Aceria  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Aceria chondriphora

Eriophyes chondriphora

Eriophyes fraxini

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

ash bead gall mite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Gall

An abnormal growth on a plant produced in response to an insect larva, mite, bacteria, or fungus.

 

 

 

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
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    ash bead gall mite   ash bead gall mite  
           
    ash bead gall mite   ash bead gall mite  
           
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Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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Created: 6/23/2020

Last Updated:

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