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Rudbeckia Gall Midges (maybe) on my Cutleaf Coneflower #879300

Asked July 29, 2024, 4:41 PM EDT

Hi, I have galls all over my cutleaf coneflower. Actually, they are just where the flowers are and have pretty much taken over the flowers. I believe that they might be Rudbeckia Gall Midges, but not sure. Are the galls/midges beneficial for the environment? And are the galls/midges detrimental to my Cutleaf Coneflower?

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Yes this does look like Rudbeckia Gall Midge (Asphondylia rudbeckiaeconspicua). They are a nuisance, but they don't hurt the plant as much as you might think. Removing the galls and destroying them is usually the best control method. The midges have natural enemies and their populations usually go down over time even when you take no action. The midges are part of the food web and nutrient cycles that keep all of our ecosystems functioning at their best. Certainly from a human perspective there may not be a whole lot of value that you could assign to a gall midge like this. However, I'm sure if you asked them, they would disagree. 
An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 31, 2024, 1:41 PM EDT

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