Large Oak Cynipid vs Spangle Gall Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Oak Cynipid Spangle Gall Wasp
Scientific Name Cynips quercusfolii Neuroterus quercusbaccarum
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Cynipidae Cynipidae
Size 2.5–4 mm 1.5–2.5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Not Evaluated

Large Oak Cynipid

A gall wasp that induces cherry-sized galls on the undersides of oak leaves. The galls turn from green to red as they mature in autumn.

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Did You Know?

The colorful galls were historically known as 'oak cherries' and were sometimes mistaken for real fruit by children.

Spangle Gall Wasp

A tiny gall wasp that produces flat, disc-shaped spangle galls on the undersides of oak leaves. It alternates between two distinct gall forms across generations.

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Did You Know?

A single oak leaf may carry over a hundred spangle galls, yet the tree suffers minimal harm.