Andricus vindobonensis Müllner, 1901

Shachar, Einat, Melika, George, Inbar, Moshe & Dorchin, Netta, 2018, The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history, Zootaxa 4521 (4), pp. 451-498 : 468

Andricus vindobonensis Müllner, 1901

Host plants. Israel: Q. ithaburnsis . Elsewhere: Q. cerris .

Life history. Known only from the catkin galls of the sexual generation, which are kidney-shaped, up to 4 mm long, single-chambered, often in aggregations ( Fig. 51 ). They are green when young, sometimes turning purple when mature, and covered by velvety fuzz. Old galls drop to the ground with the dry catkin.

Phenology. Galls begin to develop in March and adults emerge from them in late April through June-July.

Distribution. Israel: Rare in En Zivan and Tel Hazeqa. Elsewhere: Patchy distribution but sometimes common in the Balkans and Turkey.

Comments. The galls of this species are somewhat similar to those of A. grossulariae ( Figs 49–50 ) but are kidney- or bean-shaped and purple or green when mature, whereas A. grossulariae galls have pointed apices and are bright red when mature.

Figures

FIGURES 47–52. Sexual generation galls on Quercus ithaburensis. 47. Andricus cecconii; 48. Same, old gall; 49. Andricus grossulariae, young galls; 50. Andricus grossulariae, old galls (arrow); 51. Andricus vindobonensis; 52. Andricus coriarius.