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Atrusca brevipennata
little oak-apple gall wasp
Atrusca brevipennata is a cynipid gall wasp that produces distinctive galls on oak leaves in western North America. Formerly known as Andricus pellucidus, this species was first described by Gillette in 1893 and later studied by Alfred Kinsey. The wasp is locally common in the American Southwest, with records extending as far north as Denver. It oviposits into leaves of shrub live oak (Quercus turbinella) and Gambel oak (Q. gambelii), inducing the formation of small oak-apple galls. The species is visually similar to Atrusca bella and may be confused with it in the field.