The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history Shachar, Einat Melika, George Inbar, Moshe Dorchin, Netta Zootaxa 2018 2018-11-16 4521 4 451 498 VTL 75141 Hartig 1840 [151,262,548,574] Insecta Cynipidae Andricus GBIF Animalia Hymenoptera 18 469 Arthropoda genus   Host plants. Israel:  Q. ithaburensis; Elsewhere: Mainly oaks from section Cerris(sexual generation) and from both Cerrisand  Quercussections (asexual generation).  Life history.Both the sexual and asexual generations are known. The sexual generation induces singlechambered, usually aggregated leaf galls on  Q. ithaburensis, which are cryptic swellings of the main leaf vein, up to 3 mmin width ( Fig. 65). The asexual generation develops in woody, thick-walled multi-chambered root galls on  Q. ithaburensisthat are 3–10 cmin diameter when mature ( Sternlicht 1968b, Fig.1).   Phenology.This species has a two-year lifecycle. Galls of the sexual generation develop in spring and adults emerge from them in September-October ( Sternlicht 1968b). In Europe adults emerge in August-September and some may emerge the following year ( Melika 2006b). The root galls of the asexual generation develop in the second year of the lifecycle. They mature in September and adults overwinter in them and emerge the following spring.   Distribution. Israel: En Zivan, Mezar, Tiv’on, Hadera. Elsewhere: widespread in Europe and Northwest Africa to Transcaucasia and Asia Minor.   Comments.The identity of this species could not be established with confidence because no adults were reared from the galls. Based on the morphology of the galls and the available data on its life history, we assume that it is related to  A. quercusradicis, although that species is known from oaks in section  Quercuswhereas the galls in Israelare found on oaks from section Cerris.