Andricus inflator

Andricus inflator is a species of gall-forming wasps, in the genus Andricus. The species was named by the German biologist Theodor Hartig, in 1840 and is found in Europe.

Andricus inflator
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Cynipidae
Genus: Andricus
Species:
A. inflator
Binomial name
Andricus inflator
(Hartig, 1840)
Synonyms
  • Andricus globuli (Hartig, 1840)
  • Andricus inflatioides Belizin & Maisuradze, 1962
  • Cynips globuli Hartig, 1840

Description of the gall

Adults lay their eggs on various species of oak, including Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto), Lusitanian oak (Quercus lusitanica), sessile oak (Quercus petraea), downy oak (Quercus pubescens), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra).[1]

Like many oak gall wasps, there are two generations per cycle, with one sexual and one asexual, each creating different galls. The sexual gall is a club-like swelling at the tip of the shoot. Green at first, later becoming the same colour of the twig. The buds and twig develop as normal above the gall, which can persist for years, and growth of the twig can also continue for years. The female lays her eggs on a bud, especially on buds sprouting staight from the trunk. The asexual gall is a small, green, egg-shaped swelling in the leaf brachium. It is up to 6 mm long, often with a distinct point. They can be found from September to November and when mature drop to the ground.[1][2]

Similar species
  • At the tip of a twig the swelling of Andricus curvator has an interior cavity that is spherical or oval, compared with the sexual gall of A inflator where the interior is long and narrow[3]
  • Andricus quercusramuli is egg-shaped, smaller than the asexual gall of A. inflator, up to 3.5 mm long and also matures in the autumn.[3]
  • Andricus infectorius asexual gall is similar with a 10–20 mm swelling when mature in October, falling from the tree during the winter. The colour varies from green to dark brown as it matures.[2][4]

Distribution

The wasp is found in Europe from Ireland to the Ukraine.[5]

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gollark: Ah yes.
gollark: Hmm. Maybe not.
gollark: ++magic py```pythonimport timewhile True: ctx.send("BEES") time.sleep(1.05)```
gollark: ++remind 06/12/2020 bee.

References
  1. Ellis, W N. "Andricus inflator Hartig, 1840". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  2. Zúbrik, Milan; Kunca, Andrec; Csóka, György (2013). Insect and Diseases Damaging Trees and Shrubs of Europe. N A P Editions. p. 382. ISBN 978 2 913688 18 6.
  3. Redfern, Margaret; Shirley, Peter; Boxham, Michael (2011). British Plant Galls (Second ed.). Shrewsbury: Field Study Council. pp. 231–260. ISBN 978-185153-284-1.
  4. Fenwick, David. "Andricus infectorius - An oak gall (Wasps - Hymenoptera)". Aphotofauna. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  5. "Andricus inflator Hartig, 1840". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
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