Maple Eyespot Gall

Have you ever seen the round bullseye looking thing on maple tree leaves? I had always wondered what this was! This beautiful phenomenon is actually caused by a type of fly called a midge. Adult female flies lay eggs in the leaves, they hatch, and the larvae emit a hormone that causes the red and yellow coloration. Fascinating and eye catching, this red maple seedling was heavily infested with maggots! Megan and I took this photo at Tar Hollow State Forest.