Quercus-stellata
Guides
Atrusca cubitalis
Atrusca cubitalis is a species of cynipid gall wasp, a group of tiny wasps known for inducing characteristic plant galls on their host plants. As a member of the family Cynipidae, this species exemplifies the highly specialized host relationships typical of gall wasps, where each species typically induces a distinct gall type on a specific host plant or closely related group of plants. The genus Atrusca is known for producing colorful and structurally distinctive galls on oak leaves (Quercus spp.), with A. cubitalis specifically associated with post oak (Quercus stellata) based on related species observations. The life cycle involves the female wasp using her ovipositor to inject eggs into leaf tissue, after which the developing larvae secrete plant growth hormones that cause the formation of a specialized gall structure within which they feed and develop.
Atrusca quercuscentricola
Spotted Oak Apple Gall Wasp
Atrusca quercuscentricola is a cynipid gall wasp that induces distinctive colorful galls on the leaves of post oak (Quercus stellata). The galls are particularly notable for their bright coloration and the presence of a visible adult emergence hole upon maturation. Like other cynipid gall wasps, the female lays eggs in leaf tissue using her ovipositor, and the developing larvae secrete plant growth hormones that cause the plant to form a specialized gall structure. The larva develops inside this gall, feeding on the plant tissue, before emerging as an adult through a chewed exit hole.