# Red Cone Gall Wasp (*Feron kingi*) The Red Cone Gall Wasp is a tiny insect that makes special galls on plants. These galls look like little red cones and are homes for the wasp's babies. They are fascinating to see in nature! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Red Cone Gall Wasp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red_Cone_Gall_Wasp_%28Andricus_kingi%29_%2810182267513%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Cone_Gall_Wasp_%28Andricus_kingi%29_%2810182267513%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Red Cone Gall Wasp is a tiny insect, typically dark brown to black, with clear wings. Its most striking feature isn't the wasp itself, but the bright red, cone-shaped galls it creates, which grow on the underside of oak leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Cynipidae - **Genus:** Andricus ## Interesting facts - Each tiny gall can house just one wasp larva, safe inside its leafy, custom-built home. - The gall protects the developing wasp larva better than any fortress from predators! - The red "cones" you see on oak leaves are actually mini nurseries for baby wasps! - These wasps are so small, many can fit comfortably on the head of a pin! ## Special abilities - **Gall Architect:** Red Cone Gall Wasp can chemically induce oak trees to grow specialized, protective galls for its larvae, providing both shelter and food. - **Hidden Nursery:** Red Cone Gall Wasp larvae have specialized saliva that tricks oak leaves into forming a safe, nutrient-rich home where they can develop unseen. - **Plant Wizard:** Red Cone Gall Wasp can manipulate plant growth with its eggs, creating a unique red cone structure for its young that looks like part of the plant. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 2-4 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-30 days - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 0 ## Diet & Feeding Adults may sip nectar, but the larvae are dedicated vegetarians, feasting on oak leaf tissue within their gall. - **Age differences:** Larvae consume specialized plant tissue within the gall; adults may occasionally feed on nectar or honeydew. - **Primary Foods:** Oak leaf tissue, Plant sap, Nectar - **Foraging Method:** Null ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Red Oak (*Quercus rubra*) — induces gall formation on its leaves for larval development. - **Parasitizes:** Gall Wasp Parasitoid (*Torymus bedeguaris*) — lays eggs on the gall wasp larvae, consuming them from within the gall. - **Eats:** [Black-capped Chickadee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-capped-chickadee) (*Poecile atricapillus*) — forages for gall wasp larvae by pecking open galls. ## 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. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red Cone Gall Wasp? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Red Cone Gall Wasp? 2-4 mm ### How long does Red Cone Gall Wasp live? 14-30 days ### What does Red Cone Gall Wasp eat? Adults may sip nectar, but the larvae are dedicated vegetarians, feasting on oak leaf tissue within their gall. ### Where is Red Cone Gall Wasp usually found? Forests ### How does Red Cone Gall Wasp hunt? Null ### How many legs does Red Cone Gall Wasp have? 6 ### How large are Red Cone Gall Wasp colonies? 0 ## Where to spot - [San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-luis-obispo-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Luther Burbank Home and Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luther-burbank-home-and-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden ## 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*) --- Source: [Red Cone Gall Wasp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-cone-gall-wasp)