Re. Lee et al., CRYOBIOLOGY OF THE FREEZE-TOLERANT GALL FLY EUROSTA-SOLIDAGINIS - OVERWINTERING ENERGETICS AND HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS, Climate research, 5(1), 1995, pp. 61-67
The goldenrod gall fly Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) rang
es from the southern U.S. northward into Canada. The larva overwinters
within a ball gall on the stem of goldenrod Solidago spp. The galls o
ften extend above the snowpack, exposing the larva to a wide range of
environmental extremes in winter. This species has received extensive
attention as a freeze-tolerant insect model. A seasonal study of the o
verwintering bioenergetics of an Ohio, USA, population revealed marked
decreases in body weight, lipid and total caloric content in October
and November when environmental temperatures were the highest. Overwin
tering larvae produce heat shock proteins in response to high-temperat
ure exposure. However, unlike other insects E. solidaginis does not ap
pear to synthesize heat shock proteins in response to low-temperature
exposure.