Why do wasps have a gall?
These force the host plant to produce extra tissue around the parasites, creating a swelling or gall The gall protects the hatchlings and usually provides gall wasp larvae with food Usually, a gall becomes visible to the eye around 1 to 6 weeks after the eggs were laid.
What happens if you get stung by a wasp?
The most severe allergic reactions to wasp stings are referred to as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis occurs when your body goes into shock in response to wasp venom. Most people who go into shock after a wasp sting do so very quickly.
What is the lifespan of a gall wasp?
Once an adult, the gall wasp will not live very long. They don’t typically feed during this stage of their life. Their bodies are constructed a bit differently than other insects. Gall wasps can’t produce excrement.
How many types of gall wasps are there?
Gall wasp on trees 1 Oak gall wasp – there are hundreds of different gall wasp species within the Cynipidae family that infect one or all oak tree species. 2 Beech gall wasp – since this tree is related to oak, some gall wasp infect both species. 3 Chestnut gall wasp – infects young branch shoots, flower buds and leaf buds. ... More items...
Are gall wasps harmful?
Most galls, especially on leaves, do not hurt the oak tree, and the wasps aren't harmful to people either. In fact, like many insects, the wasps inside these galls are a beneficial source of food for our native wildlife, including many species of birds, as well as mammals such as opossums and raccoons.
Where are gall wasps found?
Galls can be found on nearly all parts of such trees, including the leaves, buds, branches, and roots. Other species of gall wasps live in eucalyptus trees, rose bushes or maple trees, as well as many herbs.
Are leaf galls harmful to humans?
These galls may look like they are hurting the plant's health, but leaf galls on plants are actually harmless.
What does a gall wasp do?
gall wasp, (subfamily Cynipinae), any of a group of wasps in the family Cynipidae (order Hymenoptera) that are notable for their ability to stimulate the growth of galls (tissue swellings) on plants.
Do birds eat gall wasps?
Gall wasps are naturally killed by a complex of fungi, parasites, predators, and competing insects (primarily moth larvae and other wasps) that live within galls. Cynipids are also preyed upon by various small insectivorous birds, woodpeckers, and small mammals.
What does an adult gall wasp look like?
Citrus Gall Wasp adults are shiny brown-black wasps about 2.5 mm long. Citrus Gall Wasp larvae are white legless grubs about 3 mm long. You won't see larvae unless you cut open a gall.
Are galls harmful?
Are galls harmful to trees? Galls can have an ugly appearance. However, most do not seriously affect the health of a plant or tree. Heavy infestations may distort leaves or cause an early leaf drop.
Are galls parasites?
Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or warts in animals. They can be caused by various parasites, from viruses, fungi and bacteria, to other plants, insects and mites.
Are galls edible?
Probably the most obvious and well-known type is the “oak apple” gall, which is a small tan ball 1 to 2 inches in diameter. These galls are found on the leaves of several oak species that grow on dry slopes throughout Western North Carolina. I wouldn't eat one, but some sources describe oak apples as being edible.
What are the red balls that fall from oak trees?
Almost everyone who lives near oak trees has seen the small balls hanging in the tree branches, yet many still may ask: “What are oak galls?” Oak apple galls look like small, round fruit but they are actually plant deformities caused by oak apple gall wasps. The galls generally do not damage the oak tree host.
What do gall wasps feed on?
What Do Gall Wasps Eat? Gall wasp larvae derive nutrition from the galls in which they live. Adult gall wasps are short-lived and do not feed.
How do I get rid of gall wasps on my lemon tree?
Pruning is essential for controlling citrus gall wasp.Prune out galls before June 30 to avoid the need to treat before disposal. ... Galls removed after June should be treated before disposal. ... Avoid heavily fertilising trees in winter or spring. ... Work with your neighbours.More items...•
When do wasps sting?
Wasp stings are common, especially during the warmer months when people are outside for longer periods of time. They can be uncomfortable, but most people recover quickly and without complications.
What are the symptoms of a wasp sting?
It’s important to seek immediate emergency care to treat anaphylaxis. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction to wasp stings include: severe swelling of the face, lips, or throat. hives or itching in areas of the body not affected by the sting. breathing difficulties, such as wheezing or gasping. dizziness.
What is the most severe reaction to a wasp sting?
The most severe allergic reactions to wasp stings are referred to as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis occurs when your body goes into shock in response to wasp venom. Most people who go into shock after a wasp sting do so very quickly. It’s important to seek immediate emergency care to treat anaphylaxis.
How many people are allergic to wasps?
Severe allergic reactions to wasp stings require immediate medical attention. Overall, up to 0.8 percent of children and 3 percent of adults have insect sting allergies. If you have an EpiPen, administer it as soon as symptoms begin.
What is the best medicine for wasp stings?
OTC pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, can manage pain associated with wasp stings. Antihistamine drugs, including diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine, can reduce itching as well. Take all medications as directed to avoid potential side effects, such as stomach irritation or drowsiness.
How long does it take for a wasp sting to subside?
Most of the time, large local reactions subside on their own over the course of a week or so. Let your doctor know if you have a large local reaction after a wasp sting. They may direct you to take an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine medication (such as Benadryl) to reduce your discomfort.
Why are toddlers so vulnerable to wasps?
Toddlers are particularly vulnerable because they may not be able to fully verbalize that they’ve been stung by a wasp. When your toddler is playing outside, be on the lookout for signs of a wasp sting and investigate the source of any tears and complaints immediately.
What wasps have round galls?
The oak potato gall wasp ( Biorrhiza pallida) has round galls that grow to about 4 cm. These are known colloquially as oak potatoes.
What is the shape of a gall wasp?
Like all Apocrita, gall wasps have a distinctive body shape, the so-called wasp waist. The first abdominal tergum (the propodeum) is conjoined with the thorax, while the second abdominal segment forms a sort of shaft, the petiole. The petiole connects with the gaster, which is the functional abdomen in apocritan wasps, ...
What wasps live on oak?
Most species of gall wasps live as gall-formers on oaks. One of the most well-known is the common oak gall wasp ( Cyn ips quercusfolii ), which induces characteristic, 2-cm in diameter, spherical galls on the undersides of oak leaves.
What is the gall on oak leaves?
These are known colloquially as oak potatoes. The latter type of gall is induced by this type of wasp not on the leaves, but on the roots of the oak. On the buds of young oak twigs, one can often find the hard-shelled galls of Andricus kollari and Andricus quercustozae. Galls do not cause significant harm to oak trees.
What is the family of gall wasps?
Cynipoidea. Family: Cynipidae. Diversity. at least 80 genera. Gall wasps, also incorrectly called gallflies, 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.
What is the color of raspberry gall?
Raspberry gall made by Diastrophus nebulosus, larvae inside gall. These turn reddish in the fall and are commonly known as oak apples. Light lentiform galls on the undersides of the same leaves are induced by Neuroterus quercusbaccarum; darker ones with bulging edges are formed by Neuroterus numismalis.
What induces gall formation?
The inducement for the gall formation is largely unknown; discussion speculates as to chemical, mechanical, and viral triggers. The hatching larvae nourish themselves with the nutritive tissue of the galls, in which they are otherwise well-protected from external environmental effects.
What Are Gall Wasps?
A gall wasp is a type of insect that lays their eggs in the softer parts of a tree, plant, or flower. As the small larvae develop into full-grown gall wasp adults, the gall forms. This process can cause the plant to die or suffer as it cannot develop properly.
Where Do Gall Wasps Live?
The gall wasp, and the gall can live on just about any part of a tree or plant. This includes the buds, leaves, branches, and roots that are within the ground. There are gall wasps species that will only target roses, maples, specific herbs, or eucalyptus trees.
How is a Gall Formed?
The gall wasp has a life cycle that contains four different life stages. This includes the egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Once the female gall wasp has deposited her egg into her plant’s soft tissue that she’s moving into, this will begin the process. The egg will hatch, the larvae will feed, and a chemical reaction occurs inside the plant.
Are Gall Wasps Beneficial?
The galls formed from the infestation of a gall wasp can affect the plant quite a bit. Depending on how strong the plant or tree was to begin with, this will determine how well it holds up to these galls’ formation. Once a gall has formed, it can release toxins into the rest of the plant that can affect the growth rate.
What Do Gall Wasps Eat?
Once the gall has formed, sustenance will come from this area for the larvae gall wasp. Once an adult, the gall wasp will not live very long. They don’t typically feed during this stage of their life.
Can Gall Wasps Sting?
Gall wasps have the ability to sting, though they may only do so if you’re tending to the plant that they are living on. If you keep your distance, they will likely leave you alone.
How Do You Get Rid of Gall Wasps?
The first sign that you may notice when it comes to a gall wasp problem is the galls forming on your tree or plant. It’s not as simple as just picking off these galls if you want to remove the wasps. For one, they may become very aggressive when this is happening. You want to avoid getting stung.
Overview
Gall wasps, also incorrectly called gallflies, 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 (1–8 mm) are known worldwide, with about 360 species of 36 different genera in Europe and some 800 species in North A…
Features
Like all Apocrita, gall wasps have a distinctive body shape, the so-called wasp waist. The first abdominal tergum (the propodeum) is conjoined with the thorax, while the second abdominal segment forms a sort of shaft, the petiole. The petiole connects with the gaster, which is the functional abdomen in apocritan wasps, starting with the third abdominal segment proper. Together, the petiole and the gaster form the metasoma, while the thorax and the propodeum ma…
Reproduction and development
The reproduction of the gall wasp is partly parthenogenesis, in which a male is completely unnecessary, and partly two-sex propagation. With most species an alternation of generations occurs, with one two-sex generation and one parthenogenic generation annually, whereas some species produce very few males and reproduce only by parthenogenesis. This process differentiates the various generations primarily in their appearance and the form of the plant galls they …
Parasitism
A gall provides the developing gall wasp with protection for the most vulnerable stage of its life cycle, but many other wasps have found a way to penetrate this defence and parasitise the larva(e) within. Some of these parasitoids use their long, hardened egg-laying tube (ovipositor) to bore into the gall and lay an egg on the helpless gall maker. A bedeguar or robin's pincushions gall, collected before the autumn and kept cool, may result in at least one species of parasitoid emer…
Types
Most species of gall wasps live as gall-formers on oaks. One of the most well-known is the common oak gall wasp (Cynips quercusfolii), which induces characteristic, 2-cm in diameter, spherical galls on the undersides of oak leaves.
• Diplolepis rosae, rose bedeguar gall
• Andricus fecundatrix parthenogenetic generation, oak artichoke gall
Subfamilies
There are two subfamilies, one extinct and one extant:
• Cynipinae
• Hodiernocynipinae†
Tribes
There are twelve tribes:
• Aulacideini Nieves-Aldrey, Nylander & Ronquist, 2015.
• Aylacini Ashmead, 1903.
• Ceroptresini Nieves-Aldrey, Nylander & Ronquist, 2015.
Genera
• List of Cynipidae genera