Gall wasps, also traditionally calledgallflies, are hymenopterans of the family Cynipidae in the wasp superfamily Cynipoidea. Their common name comes from the galls they induce on plants for larval development. About 1,300 species of this generally very small creature are known worldwide, with about 360 species of 36 different genera in Europe and some 800 species in North America.
Neuroterus is a genus of gall wasps that induce galls on oaks in which the wasp larvae live and feed. Some species produce galls that fall off the host plant and 'jump' along the ground due to the movement of the larvae within.
The common spangle gall on the underside of leaves and the currant gall on the male catkins or occasionally the leaves, develop as chemically induced distortions on pedunculate oak, or sessile oak trees, caused by the cynipid wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum which has both agamic and bisexual generations.
Neuroterus numismalis is a gall wasp that forms chemically induced leaf galls on oak trees. It has both bisexual and agamic (parthenogenetic) generations and forms two distinct galls on oak leaves, the silk button gall and blister gall. The galls can be very numerous with more than a thousand per leaf.
Cynips is a genus of gall wasps in the tribe Cynipini, the oak gall wasps. One of the best known is the common oak gall wasp, which induces characteristic spherical galls about two centimeters wide on the undersides of oak leaves.
Cynips quercusfolii, also known as the cherry gall wasp, is a gall wasp species in the genus Cynips and family Cynipidae. The species is important for the production of commercial nutgall formed on Quercus lusitanica . Galls are located on the underside of leaves, with the majority of galls being on the second and third veins from the petiole of the leaf.
Andricus opertus, the fimbriate gall wasp, is a species of wasp in the family Cynipidae whose bisexual generation induces elongate, spiky galls on the leaves of various species of oaks in California, including valley oak and scrub oak. The galls of the bisexual generation form in spring, adults emerge in late spring, and galls persist on trees until the fall. The unisexual generation of this species forms aborted bud galls in the summer and fall.
Amphibolips is an American genus of gall wasps in the family Cynipidae. There are about 57 described species in the genus Amphibolips with several others still undescribed.
Feron kingi, the red cone gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae.
Callirhytis is a genus of gall wasps in the family Cynipidae. There are more than 90 described species in Callirhytis. Wasps in this genus primarily induce wasps on oak trees in North America.
Cynips douglasii, the spined turbaned gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. It induces galls in valley oaks, blue oak, and California scrub oak. The leaf galls induced by the parthenogenic, unisexual generation in summer are noted for their spines and can be white, purple, or pink. They can be up to 10 millimetres (0.39 in) wide and 15 millimetres (0.59 in) high. Adult females emerge from these galls in winter. The bisexual generation induces rounder, green bud galls in spring.
Andricus quercuspetiolicola, also called the oak petiole gall wasp, is a species of oak gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. Galls in which the larvae live and feed are formed along the midrib or petiole of white oak leaves.
Druon ignotum is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae.
Feron crystallinum, also known as the crystalline gall wasp, is a species of gall-forming wasp in the genus Feron. The galls of its all-female parthenogenic generation are pink and covered in hairs that are white, red, or brown. These galls are often massed together in clumps that can cover the underside of leaves. Individual galls are 12–14 mm high, 7 mm across, and have a single chamber for larvae. This generation emerges in late winter. In the spring, the bisexual generation of males and females induces much smaller galls with shorter hairs. F. crystallinum galls are found in all species of oaks in California.
Feron gigas, also known as the saucer gall wasp, is a species of gall-forming wasp in the genus Feron. It induces galls on the leaves of scrub oaks, blue oaks, and Engelmann oaks. The galls produced by its all-female generation, which emerges in winter, are 3-4 mm wide, circular with raised edges. They are red, pink, brown, or purple. The larval chamber exists as a raised bump in the gall's center. The bisexual generation produces galls that are brown and cone-shaped.
Feron pattersonae, also known as the plate gall wasp, is a species of oak gall wasp in the genus Feron. Their hosts are among the white oaks grouping of oaks, with blue oak being common.
Feron atrimentum, also known as the striped volcano gall wasp, is a species of gall-forming wasp in the genus Feron. It induces galls on blue oak leaves. Like other oak gall wasps, it has two generations: a bisexual generation, and a parthenogenic female generation. The bisexual generation produces round, 3–4 millimetres (0.12–0.16 in) galls in spring that start as green or pink, and then turn brown. The unisexual generation produces conical, 4–4 millimetres (0.16–0.16 in) galls in summer that are pale with red stripes.
Besbicus is a genus of gall-inducing cynipid wasp found in North America. Several species now classed as Besbicus were formerly considered to be a part of the genus Cynips. Besbicus was originally described as a subgenus by Alfred Kinsey in 1929. Circa 2010, one group of entomologists noted that it was "possible that the nearctic genera Antron and Besbicus were erroneously synonymized to Cynips".
Besbicus mirabilis, formerly Cynips mirabilis, also known as the speckled gall wasp, is a common species of cynipid wasp that produces galls on oak trees in North America. This wasp oviposits on the midrib of the underside of Oregon oak leaves. One to three detachable galls per leaf have been observed. The larval chamber is at the center of the gall, connected to the husk by slender, radiating fibers. The second generation of this wasp induces bud galls. The galls may be parasitized by moth larva or eaten by earwigs or other enterprising arthropods before the larva complete their development. This wasp is present on the Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia to northern California.
Besbicus heldae, formerly Cynips heldae, also known as the thorny gall wasp or thorn gall wasp, is an uncommon species of cynipid wasp that induces bud galls on Oregon oak and valley oak trees on the west coast of North America. Fresh gall are rose pink, measure 6–16 mm in diameter, and have a "mealy-granular" surface and possibly overlapping, disorderly looking "spikes". Galls are detachable and turn brown as they age. This gall superficially resembles the galls induced by Burnettweldia corallina or Cynips quercusechinus.
