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Tetraneura ulmi
elm sack gall aphid, fig gall aphid
Tetraneura ulmi, commonly known as the elm sack gall aphid or fig gall aphid, is a gall-forming aphid in the family Aphididae. First described by Linnaeus in 1758, this species induces distinctive club-like pouch galls on elm leaves. The aphid exhibits a complex life cycle involving alternation between primary elm hosts and secondary grass hosts. Founding mothers stimulate gall formation through sap-sucking behavior, creating a protected environment for their offspring. The species is distributed across Asia, Europe, and North America, with particular dominance in northwestern Europe.