gall midge

noun

: any of numerous minute dipteran flies (family Cecidomyiidae) most of which cause gall formation in plants

Examples of gall midge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Once stuck head-to-tail, the gall midge larva will pressurize its body by pumping internal fluids to its lower regions and then use that force to flick its head upwards for a liftoff. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 8 Aug. 2019 There is another possibility for the daylily symptoms – the daylily gall midge. oregonlive, 31 July 2021 While the foliage of the daylily can be lush, the buds can become infested with the larvae of the daylily gall midge. oregonlive, 31 July 2021 The secret of how these legless, wingless creatures — a form of gall midge larvae — managed these aerial acrobatics had yet to be pinpointed. Alicia Petska, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gall midge was circa 1889

Dictionary Entries Near gall midge

Cite this Entry

“Gall midge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gall%20midge. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on gall midge

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!