Hickory Starburst Gall Midge
Caryomyia asteris
This record describes Caryomyia asteris (species). Recorded family: Cecidomyiidae. Recorded order: Diptera.
Identification and Appearance
Larvae develop in star-shaped galls on the undersides of hickory ( Carya ) leaves. Adult and pupal stages are unknown.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Diptera (Flies)
- Superfamily
- Sciaroidea
- Family
- Cecidomyiidae (Gall Midges and Wood Midges)
- Subfamily
- Cecidomyiinae
- Tribe
- Cecidomyiini
- Genus
- Caryomyia (Hickory Gall Midges)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Gagné states that the galls are rare, not found east of the Appalachian Mountains or Ohio, except for one specimen from near the South Carolina Coast.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Gagné, 2008 "The name asteris is a Latin adjective meaning starlike with reference to the radiate, flared rim of the gall."
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Diptera, the group containing Caryomyia asteris. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Ecological role of the group
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Economic and practical significance of the group
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, CDC, PNAS. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.