Rose-stem Gall Wasp vs Tumbling Flower Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rose-stem Gall Wasp Tumbling Flower Beetle
Scientific Name Diplolepis spinosa Mordella aculeata
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Cynipidae Mordellidae
Size 2–3.5 mm 3-6 mm
Habitat Meadows Meadows
Diet Gall Makers Pollen Feeders
Regions North America Europe, North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Rose-stem Gall Wasp

A gall wasp that creates spiny galls on the stems of wild roses in North America. Each gall contains a single larval cell surrounded by hard woody tissue.

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Did You Know?

Its galls often persist on rose stems for years after the wasp has emerged, serving as shelter for other insects.

Tumbling Flower Beetle

A small, humpbacked beetle that tumbles erratically when disturbed. Adults are commonly found on flowers where they feed on pollen.

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Did You Know?

Their pointed abdomen extends beyond the elytra, giving them a distinctive wedge shape.