About Hartigiola annulipes (T.Hartig, 1839)
This species forms galls that begin as tiny, flattened domes visible on both leaf surfaces in spring. The galls are yellowish-green when young, and later turn reddish-brown. Their upper section gradually lengthens into a columnar shape, reaching up to 6 mm in height by August and September. Each gall contains a single white larva, and can be smooth or hairy; some galls develop a pointed tip. When the larva matures, the gall falls to the ground, leaving a circular hole in the host leaf. Pupation occurs inside the fallen gall, and adult midges emerge in spring to lay eggs on new host leaves. Adult midges can be found in May and June. Galls of this species have been recorded on Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Hartigiola annulipes is a common species, distributed across Europe ranging from Ireland, France and Spain in the west, to Ukraine and Russia in the east.
