Local feeder (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in stems of Monarda

Record Details

Record no.:	0336
Feeding guild:	Local feeder in stem
Taxonomy:	Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Neolasioptera monardi
Stages observed:	trace, larva
Distribution observed:	IA
Hosts in Monarda:	M. fistulosa (bee balm, wild bergamot)

In December 2016, I located several slender, spindle-shaped stem galls made by this cecidomyiid and photographed the bright orange larva inside one of them. The larva was ensconced within a narrow, cylindrical, blackened chamber in the pith in the center of the gall. I also located and photographed similar galls in July 2017 and March 2024. The species-level identification is based on the species account in Gagné (1989).

Featured Images

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Image #: 336-01 Stem gall in summer. (Photo date: July 7, 2017)

Image #: 336-02 Stem gall in winter. (Photo date: March 23, 2024)

Image #: 336-03 Stem gall in winter. (Photo date: December 28, 2016)

Image #: 336-04 Stem gall in winter. (Photo date: December 28, 2016)

Image #: 336-05 Larva. (Photo date: December 28, 2016)

Image #: 336-09 Anterior end of larva, showing spatula.

References

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Gagné, R.J. 1989. The plant-feeding gall midges of North America. Cornell University Press: Ithaca, New York.[return to in-text citation]

Page created: February 13, 2026. Last update: March 28, 2026