Gall Midge Larva

Typically found inside plant tissues (leaves, stems, or buds) where they induce galls, or occasionally in soil or decaying organic matter.

Most species are herbivores that feed on plant sap or tissue within galls; some are scavengers or predators of other small insects.

The larvae live within protective plant structures or soil. They undergo complete metamorphosis, pupating within the gall or in the ground before emerging as tiny, delicate flies.

Some species are major agricultural pests destroying crops, while others are beneficial as they act as biological control agents by preying on aphids and mites.