boxelder pouchgall mite

(Aceria negundi)

Conservation Status
boxelder pouchgall mite
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Boxelder pouchgall mite is 7 1000 (180 microns) long, about as long as a human hair is wide, and 21 10000 (55 microns) wide. The human eye cannot see particles smaller than 50 to 60 microns, so this mite is probably invisible to most people. It is most easily identified by the type of growth (gall) it produces and the plant species on which it is found.

Boxelder pouchgall mite is found exclusively on boxelder (Acer negundo). In the spring, the mite forms a hollow, dull tan or gray pocket on the under surface of the leaf. The pocket is covered with a mass of felty whitish hairs. On the upper surface, it appears as an irregular, blister-like bump. The galls are solitary, though there are usually many galls on a single leaf.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 7 1000 (180 microns)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  This is the only mite that causes bladder galls on boxelder leaves.  
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Boxelder

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Spring through fall

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 30.
 
  5/26/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Class

Arachnida (arachnids)

 
 

Subclass

Acari (mites and ticks)

 
 

Superorder

Acariformes

 
 

Order

Sarcoptiformes

 
 

Suborder

Endeostigmata

 
 

Superfamily

Eriophyoidea

 
 

Family

Eriophyidae (gall and rust mites)

 
 

Subfamily

Eriophyinae

 
 

Tribe

Aceriini

 
 

Genus

Aceria

 
       
 

Order
Until recently, herbivorous mites in Superfamily Eriophyoidea were included in Order Trombidiformes. Morphological and molecular DNA analyses in 2017, 2020, and 2023 found that they are evolutionarily distinct, and they should now be included in Order Sarcoptiformes. However, disagreement remains about the correct ranking between Superfamily Eriophyoidea and Subclass Acari. The ranking on this page follows iNaturalist.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Eriophyes negundi

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

boxelder erineum mite
box elder pouch gall mite
boxelder pouchgall mite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Gall

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

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this arachnid.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
           
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    boxelder pouchgall mite      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
   

 

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.