Acorn-gall
Guides
Amphibolips quercusjuglans
Acorn Plum Gall Wasp
Amphibolips quercusjuglans, commonly known as the acorn plum gall wasp, is a cynipid gall wasp that induces distinctive plum-like galls on acorns of oak trees (Quercus spp.). The species is part of a large radiation of gall-forming wasps specialized on oaks in North America. Its galls are among the most visually striking of oak galls, developing on the cupule or acorn itself rather than on leaves or stems.
Callirhytis carmelensis
Mottled Acorn Gall Wasp
A cynipid gall wasp endemic to California that induces distinctive galls on acorns of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni). The galls form at the acorn attachment point, often preventing normal nut development. The species produces a honeydew secretion that attracts other insects. Despite being described in 1922, it remains uncommon and poorly studied relative to other California oak gall wasps.
Melikaiella flora
Live Oak Petiole Gall Wasp
Melikaiella flora is a cynipid gall wasp that induces distinctive leaf galls on live oak trees (Quercus agrifolia, Q. wislizeni, and Q. chrysolepis) in California. The species exhibits a complex life cycle involving two generations, with second-generation females ovipositing into acorns rather than leaf tissue. The galls typically engulf the entire petiole and may extend into the leaf blade, representing one of the more dramatic gall morphologies among North American Cynipidae. Formerly classified as Callirhytis milleri, the species was reclassified to reflect improved understanding of cynipid phylogeny.