Invertebrates
See our handy guide to critters found in local homes and our Central Coast Butterfly FAQ. Browse the insects and other terrestrial arthropods we’ve identified. Check out local marine invertebrates, particularly bivalve mollusks and intertidal organisms.
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Gall?
Hello,
I think this might be a Coast Live Oak, so is this an oak wasp gall?
Thanks!
Curator Response
Hi Kevin,
Yes, this specifically appears to be a gall from a Live Oak Apple Gall Wasp, Amphibolips quercuspomiformis (talk about a long common and scientific name!). The wasps (which are solitary, tiny, and don’t sting), lay their eggs in the plant tissue, which initiates the growth of the gall. The larva, now largely protected from predators and surrounded by food, feeds within the gall until it pupates and emerges out as an adult.
Sincerely,
Schlinger Chair of Entomology Alex Harman, Ph.D.
