Ocellate Gall Midge

Ocellate Gall Midge

Acericecis ocellaris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

54 Verified sightings at Great Smoky Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
76 In all 4 parks
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Ocellate Gall Midge

Acericecis ocellaris, known generally as ocellate gall midge, is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. Other common names include the maple eyespot gall and maple leaf spot gall. This species induces blister-like galls on the leaves of maples in the Nearctic, including Acer circinatum, A. pensylvanicum, A. rubrum, A. saccharinum, A. saccharum, and A. spicatum.

The species was first described by Carl Robert Osten-Sacken in 1862 as Cecidomyia ocellaris. It is the type species of the genus. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
3 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
2 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Ocellate Gall Midge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellate Gall Midge sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 54 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 90th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Ocellate Gall Midge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

May

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellate Gall Midge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Ocellate Gall Midge?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ocellate Gall Midge sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see an Ocellate Gall Midge?

Yes

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Ocellate Gall Midge sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Gros Morne National Park (Canada, about 10%) and Acadia National Park (United States, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Ocellate Gall Midge live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Same family: Cecidomyiidae

The closest relatives of the Ocellate Gall Midge that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Cecidomyiidae, Gall and Forest Midges) are Oak Leaf Gall Midge (about 10%), Wood Nettle Gall Midge (about 10%) and Goldenrod Bunch Gall Midge (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Ocellate Gall Midge sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Ocellate Gall Midge is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (54 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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