linden wart gall midge

(Contarinia verrucicola)

Conservation Status
linden wart gall midge
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

not listed

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

There are 312 species of Contarinia worldwide. Adults are very small, 132 (1.25 mm) long, and impossible to identify in the field. These midges are best identified by by the shape of the galls they produce and the plant species on which they are found.

Linden wart gall midge is a specialized plant feeder. It is found in the United States from New Hampshire to Minnesota, south to New Jersey and Iowa, and in New Brunswick and Ontario, Canada. In Minnesota it can be found on American basswood and littleleaf linden. The galls appear on leaves in the spring. They are small, round, wart-like or beebee-like, and raised on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 132 (1.25 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Lime nail gall mite (Eriophyes tiliae) creates slender, raised, finger-like galls on the upper leaf surface.  
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

American basswood and European lindens

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

 

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

Mature larvae drop to the ground and overwinter in the soil. Adults emerge in the spring.

 
     
 

Larva Food

 
 

In Minnesota, American basswood and littleleaf linden.

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources:, 7, 29, 30.

 
  6/9/2020      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Diptera (flies)  
 

Suborder

Nematocera (long-horned flies)  
 

Infraorder

Bibionomorpha (gnats and allies)  
 

Superfamily

Sciaroidea (fungus gnats and gall midges)  
 

Family

Cecidomyiidae (gall gnats, gall midges, cécidomyidés)  
 

Subfamily

Cecidomyiinae (gall midges)  
 

Supertribe

Cecidomyiidi  
  Tribe Cecidomyiini  
 

Genus

Contarinia  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

linden wart gall midge

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Leaf Upperside

 
    linden wart gall midge      
           
 

Leaf Underside

 
    linden wart gall midge      
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
     
     
     
       

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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  Bill
6/9/2011

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska 

   
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 2/13/2020

Last Updated:

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