# Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae

The Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae is a tiny insect that lives on oak trees. It helps the trees by making them stronger, but it can also make little bumps on the leaves.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Callirhytis_quercusagrifoliae.jpg&width=800)

Photo: iNaturalist user: garmonb0zia, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callirhytis_quercusagrifoliae.jpg)

## Appearance

The Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae is a minute, dark-bodied gall wasp, typically black or dark brown. It has a shiny, compact body and delicate, clear wings. Its small size, usually less than 2.5mm, sets it apart from larger insects.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hymenoptera
- **Family:** Cynipidae
- **Genus:** Callirhytis

## Interesting facts

- Some generations of these wasps are all female, making identical copies of themselves!
- Their galls can look like tiny spikes, fuzzy balls, or even miniature apples!
- These tiny wasps trick oak trees into building them custom houses!
- They spend most of their life eating inside a tree, safe from hungry birds!

## Special abilities

- **Gall Architect:** Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae can chemically command oak trees to grow protective galls that helps them create safe nurseries for their young.
- **Invisible Shield:** Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae has the ability to develop hidden inside a gall that helps them stay safe from many predators.
- **Asexual Master:** Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae can reproduce without a mate in some generations that helps them rapidly increase their population.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 2-5 mm
- **Size:** 1-2.5 mm
- **Lifespan:** 7-30 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on specialized plant tissue within the galls they create on oak trees.

- **Age differences:** Larval wasps eat specific oak tissue inside galls, while adult wasps typically do not feed or drink.
- **Primary Foods:** Oak gall tissue, Nutritive gall cells, Plant sap from gall

## Ecological connections

- **Shelter:** California Live Oak (*Quercus agrifolia*) — Induces galls on its leaves and twigs.
- **Parasitizes:** California Gall Wasp Parasitoid (*Torymus californicus*) — Larvae consume the gall wasp larva inside its gall.
- **Parasitizes:** California Acorn Wasp (*Eurytoma californica*) — Its larvae also parasitize the developing gall wasp.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

It's best to look at insects from a distance and not touch them, as some can be delicate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae's wingspan?

2-5 mm

### How big is Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae?

1-2.5 mm

### How long does Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae live?

7-30 days

### What does Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae eat?

Larvae feed on specialized plant tissue within the galls they create on oak trees.

### Where is Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae usually found?

Forests

### How many legs does Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae have?

6

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/callirhytis-quercusagrifoliae)