Inflated seedpods of Thalictrum dasycarpum. Asphondylia thalictri apparently do something similar, but this seems more like a fungus?
cf. on Doellingeria umbellata
While this isn't the greatest photo, it does nicely show why the bandy wings of these flies might help them to mimic jumping spiders. Face-on, the black bands on the wings look like two pairs of slightly folded jumping spider legs. As jumping spiders are a major predator of flies like this, adaptations to discourage attack are beneficial. This fly is haunting its host plant, a goldenrod (Solidago sp.).
For a fun review of insects thought to have spider-mimicking markings, see: Hill, David E., A. P. C. Abhijith, and João P. Burini. "Do jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) draw their own portraits." Peckhamia 179.1 (2019): 1-14.
Solidago alitissima
I am so happy. This is the third year I have had these Solidago volunteers spreading in my yard but the 1st year for these galls.
Galls found at the bases of goldenrod plants, hidden under the layer of decomposing grasses and leaves.
on Solidago canadensis
Moist cedar woodland over limestone.
Welcome to Michigan
On new upper leaves of Solidago rigida, Stiff Goldenrod. Largest gall 6.5 mm diameter. Opening on bottom of leaf. About half the galls had very frisky orange larvae or pupae. The other half had an apparent wasp parasitoid pupa hanging from the top of the gall as in the second to last photo, or a tiny quiet larva as in the third to last photo. 4th photo shows larva’s topside, 5th show its bottom side with maybe prolegs. Last photo is to confirm ID of host plant, a bit worse for the wear after being in my pants pocket for half a day and the fridge overnight.
On goldenrod. Contained only the remnants of an insect.
S. ericoides on left, S. novae-angliae on right, hybrid S. amethystinum in middle. Several plants of S. amethystinum growing in meadow among abundant mixed S. ericoides and S. novae-angliae
Found inside plumping Diervilla lonicera flowers like in this observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124343778
Beginnings of one of these?
finely hairy
Galls(?) on Diervilla lonicera. One, sometimes two pupae found inside each flower
iNat isn't letting me add the host, but it's Solidago sp.
On Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (prev obs x2)
on Symphyotrichum ciliolatum, prev obs
Leaf gall made by midge on Eurybia divaricata
Length 1.9 mm. Host is Solidago.
Pas certain, mais c'est un bon début...
On seen on a couple of leaves. Host plant possibly an Aster?
Gall collected yesterday (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33726733) and opened today to attempt clearer photos of what I think is a larva (the tan thing?). Other galls from same plant are in sealed terrarium hoping insect will emerge for ID.
On Hazardia squarossa. Consistent pattern on many leaves. See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116899086 for what emerged later.
Host Hazardia squarrosa. 2nd sighting, different location (1st obs https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116514246). Pocket gall form. Very slight puckering felt. Several examples here from one plant; abaxial/adaxial leaf shots, except for last.
Rhopalomyia solidaginis on Solidago leavenworthii
This midge emerged from Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) flower bud galls collected on 5/14/2022 and left in a small plastic container inside at room temperature. See image of a dried gall, and a pupa dissected from the same cluster of galls, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119774261
How is this visible on the first day of summer‽
Per:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/874703
She was ovipositing at the base of a goldenrod leaf.