#gallwasps — Public Fediverse posts

Honeydew Gall Wasps (Disholcaspis eldoradensis) form stem galls on several oak species. While the larvae feed, the galls exude a sweet sap that attracts ants and yellow jackets—providing an important late-summer honeydew source when other foods are scarce.

#Nature #Wildlife #California #LearnAboutNature #DiscoverGalls #GallWasps #CynipidWasps #OakGalls

Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) hosts more than 50 species of gall wasps, the largest number known on any oak.

#Nature #Wildlife #California #LearnAboutNature #DiscoverPlants #NativePlants #GallWasps

Here's a screenshot of the 10 most common species found during a previous spring gall week on iNaturalist. Join the project linked above to learn more. #inaturalist #gall #galls #GallWasps #GallWeek2025 #gallformers #cynipidae

And here the craddle of a gall wasp: a wasp that knows how to genetically and hormonally manipulate a plant to make a nurturing house for its offspring.

The #scifi book “A door into ocean” by Joan Slonczweski with its plant-based healing nurseries didn’t need to look beyond the marvels that wasps are for inspiration.

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/264503436

#iNaturalist #wasplove #Hymenopters #wasps #entomology #GallWasps

Galls made by Andricus nigricens on the underside of an oak leaf. Each of the little detachable sections contains a wasp, though not always the original gallmaker — like all galls, the inhabitants are a complicated mix of parasitoids and inquilines. I might collect some to provide entertainment during the winter months. #wasps #cynipidae #hymenoptera #GallWasps #insects #entomology #nature #oak #quercus

These attractive little Belonocnema gall wasps are all over the live oaks in Austin this month, mating and laying eggs into the newly emerging leaves.

By fall, the underside of affected leaves will be covered in little round falls, each sheltering a wasp grub (or its parasites!).

#Cynipidae #GallWasps #Insects