Hedgehog Gall Wasp
Acraspis erinacei
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Cynipoidea
- Family: Cynipidae
- Tribe: Cynipini
- Genus: Acraspis
- Species: erinacei
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Acraspis erinacei: /æˈkɹæspɪs ˌɛrɪˈneɪsiː/
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Summary
Acraspis erinacei, known as the hedgehog gall wasp, is a gall-forming insect associated with white oak trees, inducing distinctive galls that resemble hedgehogs in appearance.
Physical Characteristics
Ellipsoid galls that are up to 13 mm in diameter, covered with red hairs, containing 3-5 larval cells.
Identification Tips
Look for the distinctive 'hedgehog' galls on leaves, which have a spiky appearance due to the red hairs.
Habitat
Primarily found in wooded areas where white oak (Quercus alba) trees grow.
Distribution
Commonly distributed in regions with white oak trees; specific distribution is not detailed in the provided information.
Diet
The larvae feed on the plant tissue within the galls formed on the host plant.
Life Cycle
Females emerge from the leaf galls in fall (October-December) and oviposit into the buds of the white oak. Galls form in the spring, creating a blister on the inner face of bud scales.
Reproduction
The species has both a sexual generation and an agamic generation, with females laying eggs in the buds of white oak trees.
Ecosystem Role
As a gall-forming insect, it plays a role in plant-insect interactions and the ecosystem dynamics of wooded habitats.
Evolution
Related to other gall wasps in the Cynipidae family, with a bi-sexual form (A. bicolens) noted.
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
Some may confuse the galls with other types of plant abnormalities; they are specifically characteristic of the gall wasp.
Tags
- Acraspis
- Hedgehog Gall Wasp
- Cynipid Wasp
- Gall Wasp
- Quercus alba