Caryomyia hirtiglobus

Gagne Description 2

Occasional, found on Eucarya hickories; single or clustered, on lower leaf surface between veins; 2.5-3.0 mm in height, depressed-spherical, occasionally weakly conical apically; covered with short, thick, brown hair obscuring gall surface; base of gall at center with short, conical pedicel at center of circular indentation, the corresponding leaf connection surrounded by inconspicuous exfoliation of the leaf; wall firm, brittle, uniformly thin except slightly thicker at apex; larval chamber of same shape as gall, without conspicuous extension into basal pedicel, glabrous, green to purple, with longitudinal ridges. In outward appearance the gall of this species is generally similar to those of other spherical, hairy galls, especially those made by C. purpurea and C. holotricha, but when cut longitudinally, the gall's uniformly thin wall and its conical connection to the leaf will serve to distinguish it from otherwise superficially similar galls.

Gagne Biology Note 2

Galls of various sizes were first noticed on June 16 in central Maryland, with first instars in the smaller galls, second instars in the larger. The hair covering the gall is at first white, turning to brown by the time the gall is full size. Galls cut open on July 27 contained either second or third instars, both instars very active when touched. Their ventrally situated heads are closely appressed to the gall tissue so that the leading edge of the larva as viewed dorsally is the pronotum. Small specimens of third instars seen on August 19 were closely appressed to the curved gall interior. By mid-September fully-developed third instars are opaque white and stout with expanded segments, and are no longer so closely appressed to the larval chamber surface.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Adam Kranz, all rights reserved, uploaded by Adam Kranz
  2. (c) Adam Kranz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Carya floridana, glabra, laciniosa, myristiciformis, ovata, pallida, texana, tomentosa
Texture hairy
Alignment erect
Detachable yes
Location between veins, lower leaf
Walls thin