Mealy-oak-gall
Guides
Disholcaspis cinerosa
Mealy oak gall wasp
Disholcaspis cinerosa, commonly known as the mealy oak gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. It induces distinctive galls on oak trees (Quercus spp.), specifically known as "mealy oak galls." The species has been documented to possess exceptionally large venom glands relative to its body size—when unfolded, the venom gland is approximately 10 times longer than the abdomen—making it a notable subject in studies of gall induction mechanisms. Like other cynipid wasps, it exhibits an alternation of generations life cycle with both sexual and asexual (parthenogenetic) generations.