# Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid (*hormaphis hamamelidis*) The Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid is a tiny insect that creates unusual galls on witch-hazel trees. These galls provide a special home for the aphids to live and grow! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Witch-hazel trees in forests and gardens. - **Also known as:** Cone Gall Aphid, Gall Aphid, Witch-Hazel Aphid ![Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aphid_Galls.jpg&width=800) Photo: John Cooper, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aphid_Galls.jpg) ## Appearance The Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid is a tiny, pear-shaped insect, typically green to yellowish-brown, often with darker markings. Wingless forms are more rounded, while winged adults possess delicate, clear wings. They are visually distinct from other aphids by their presence inside cone-shaped galls. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hemiptera - **Family:** Aphididae - **Genus:** Hormaphis ## Interesting facts - Some baby aphids are born already pregnant with their own babies! - Their sweet sticky waste, called honeydew, is sometimes eaten by ants! - These tiny insects cleverly trick plants into building them protective homes! - They drink sugary sap from plants using a special straw-like mouthpart! ## Special abilities - **Clone Army Commander:** Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid can reproduce asexually, creating many genetic copies of themselves, which helps their colonies grow fast. - **Seasonal Shapeshifter:** Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid has different forms (winged/wingless) that help them migrate between host plants throughout the year. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 3-5 mm - **Size:** 1-2 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 0.5 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 1000 ## Diet & Feeding These tiny insects sip sugary sap from witch-hazel and birch trees like drinking a sweet smoothie. - **Primary Foods:** Witch-hazel sap, Birch sap, Plant phloem - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Common Witch-Hazel (*Hamamelis virginiana*) — Provides food and shelter for gall formation. - **Depends on:** [Yellow Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-birch) (*Betula alleghaniensis*) — Some generations migrate to birch roots for feeding. - **Eats:** Seven-spotted Ladybug (*Coccinella septempunctata*) — Ladybugs are common predators that feast on aphids. - **Symbiotic with:** Pallid Ant (*Formica pallidefulva*) — Ants protect aphids for their sweet honeydew secretions. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [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. - [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 No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid? 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 Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid's wingspan? 3-5 mm ### How big is Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid? 1-2 mm ### How long does Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid live? 20-30 days ### How fast can Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid fly? 0.5 km/h ### What does Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid eat? These tiny insects sip sugary sap from witch-hazel and birch trees like drinking a sweet smoothie. ### Where is Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid usually found? Witch-hazel trees in forests and gardens. ### How does Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Ashton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashton-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Canton Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canton-center-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [East Plymouth Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-plymouth-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Frelinghuysen Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frelinghuysen-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Nichols Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nichols-arboretum) — Michigan, US · Botanical Garden - [Arnold Mills Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-mills-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District [View all places to see Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/witch-hazel-cone-gall-aphid) ## 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: [Witch-Hazel Cone Gall Aphid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/witch-hazel-cone-gall-aphid)