Gall-inducing insect Gall-inducing insect A gall-inducing insect is any insect that can cause the growth of galls within plants. The term gall fly is also used to cover these species, although most are not true flies. There are several groups of insects that meet this description. They include the gall wasps, scales, gall midges, aphids, psyllids and certain species of leafminer flies. Galls are growth deformities induced in certain plants by various insects which are mostly species-specific. The gall's form or type depends on what organism is attacking the plant and where the plant is being attacked. Based on the form, there
Scale insect hermaphroditism and at least seven forms of parthenogenesis. Most scale insects are parasites of plants, feeding on sap drawn directly from the plant's vascular system. A few species feed on fungal mats and fungi, e.g., some species in the genus "Newsteadia" in the family Ortheziidae. Scale insects feed on a wide variety of plants, though particular species commonly are specific to particular host plants or plant groups. For example, various kinds of cochineal are restricted to cactus hosts. Some scale insect species evolved symbiotically with some ant species. Many scale species are serious crop pests. The waxy covering of many