Birch bud gall

Eriophyces betulae is a mite parasitic on Birch (Betula spp.) in the family Eriophyidae and forms clusters of deformed buds on the twigs.

Eriophyidae is a family of more than 200 genera of mites, which live as plant parasites, commonly causing galls or other damage to the plant tissues and hence known as gall mites. About 3,600 species have been described, but this is probably less than 10% of the actual number existing in this poorly researched family. They are microscopic mites and.. more