Eucalyptus Acorn Galls
Apiomorpha conica
-37.806, 145.254
Field Notes
Description:
These galls are produced by tiny scale insects. The very small males produce the small tubular structures and the larger, rounded ones are where the female resides. I have not previously seen male galls formed on the stems of the plant nor on the sides of the female galls. Apiomorpha male structures are most often on leaves. Species? All fairly fresh as they are still green and soon turn to a woody colour.
Habitat:
On a young eucalyptus sapling (E microcarpa?) on a highway median strip.
Notes:
"Adult females are wingless, have very small (or no) eyes, and their legs are short and stubby. A female remains within the gall she initiated when a crawler, mating through the small apical opening of her gall. She reproduces inside the gall and her tiny offspring (≤ 0.4 mm) escape through the same small opening. " - Wikipedia <br>
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:7d… <br>
order: HEMIPTERA <br>
suborder: STERNORRHYNCHA <br>
superfamily: COCCOIDEA <br>
family: ERIOCOCCIDAE <br>
Thanks to Lyn Cook for species level ID.
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