Adelgidae
Guides
Adelges abietis
Pineapple-gall Adelgid, Eastern Spruce Gall Adelgid, Spruce Gall Aphid
Adelges abietis, commonly known as the pineapple-gall adelgid or eastern spruce gall adelgid, is a conifer-feeding insect that induces distinctive pineapple-shaped pseudocone galls on spruce shoots. The species is one of the most common adelgids in its genus and has been documented across Europe and North America. Unlike the closely related hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), A. abietis is not considered a major destructive pest, though its gall formation causes shoot deformation. The species exhibits strongly aggregated spatial distributions within and among host trees.
Pineus
Pineus is a genus of adelgids (family Adelgidae) comprising more than 20 described species. These insects are small, sap-feeding hemipterans specialized on conifer hosts, primarily Pinus (pines) and Picea (spruces). Species exhibit complex life cycles with multiple morphological forms, including winged and wingless generations, and some alternate between two host species. Several species are economically significant as pests of forestry and ornamental plantings.