Cecidomyiidae

Cecidomyiidae is a family of small flies commonly called gall midges. Many species have larvae that induce distinctive growths, or galls, in plants.

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Diptera: Diptera is the insect order comprising flies, characterized by one functional pair of wings and hindwings modified as halteres. Cecidomyiidae belongs to this order and shares its defining wing structure.
Cecidomyiid gall induction: Cecidomyiid gall induction is the process by which gall midge larvae trigger localized, organized growth in host plants. It is the family’s best-known ecological effect, though the precise signals vary among species.
Wheat pest: A wheat pest is an organism that damages wheat crops or reduces their yield. Several gall midges, including the Hessian fly, attack wheat.
Hessian fly: The Hessian fly is a gall midge whose larvae damage wheat by feeding at the base of its stems. This species shows that economically damaging Cecidomyiidae need not form conspicuous galls.
Cecidomyiid gall inducers: Cecidomyiid gall inducers are gall midge species whose larvae cause organized growths in plant tissues. They represent the plant-manipulating subset, not the whole family.
Gall: A gall is abnormal plant tissue growth induced by organisms such as insects, mites, fungi, or bacteria. Many gall midge larvae manipulate plant growth to form these structures.
Plant cell division: Plant cell division is the process by which plant cells replicate and separate to produce new cells. Gall tissues often form through altered patterns of cell division around a feeding larva.
Biological control: Biological control is the use of living organisms to suppress pest populations or unwanted species. Some gall midges are used to control invasive weeds and other pests.
Wheat blossom midge: The wheat blossom midge is a gall midge whose larvae feed on developing wheat grain. Its attacks illustrate the family’s direct effects on grain production.
Predatory gall midges: Predatory gall midges are species in Cecidomyiidae whose larvae consume other small arthropods. They contrast with the plant-feeding species most associated with the family’s name.