Phylloxera caryae-scissa

Phylloxeridae

Phylloxera

Carya cordiformis

Alabama

Arkansas

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

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Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

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New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

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Ohio

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Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

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Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Ontario

Quebec

Carya glabra

Carya texana

Carya tomentosa

North American Phylloxerinae affecting hicoria (Carya) and other trees

Phylloxera caryaescissa

Phylloxera caryae-scissa Riley
 
This gall, as already indicated, bears a close resemblance to that of hemispherica but it will be unsafe to consider them identical until further careful study is made of the latter species. 

The first galls of caryae-scissa were received in 1880 from Mr. W. H. Ashmead, of Jacksonville, Fla., found growing upon Hicoria alba. Since then the same species has been occasionally observed in the vicinity of Washington, always growing upon the leaves of Hicoria tomentosa. It is a rather rare species, and occurs for the most part singly. 

In general appearance it closely resembles that of Ph. rimosalis, for which it might readily be mistaken, but the upper surface of c.-scissa is never flattened, as in rimosalis, while the orifice is never round or nipple-like, but always a transeverse slit. All the different forms of insects, from the stem-mother to the winged female of c.-scissa, are also larger and darker, with the antennae much longer and more slender, particularly in the winged form. 

The transverse diameter of this gall ranges from 8-14 mm and and the height from 2-5 mm or more. It is about equally convex on both sides, though sometimes more prominent either above or beneath, and often with a slight, central, nipple-like projection above. The surface on both sides is more or less distinctly covered with short, fine, yellowish hairs when upon Hicoria tomentosa; while upon H. alba it is smooth above and but slightly hairy beneath. The gall is always situated between two of the transverse veins, with the slit either parallel with them or slightly oblique. When young, this slit is slightly closed and not easily seen, but forms regular, shallow lips, densely pubescent, when older. Color above and beneath pale greenish or dirty yellowish- green. 

The winged female may be found from the middle of May to the middle of June. 

Phylloxera caryaescissa

Carya sp.
Conical or globose leaf galls with distinct orifice and containing aphids
Gall subglobose, walls fleshy, about equally prominent above and beneath, without a nipple, the orifice beneath a transverse slit, diameter 8 to 14 mm, height 2 to 4 mm. 

Key to American Insect Galls

Phylloxera caryaescissa Riley   

Galls are globular, diam. 8-14 mm, pale greenish or dirty yellowish green, clothed with short fine yellowish hairs, projecting about eqally on both sides of leaf lamina, opening underneath when mature (mid-May to mid-June) by a transverse slit (Pergande 1904). On Carya tomentosa in eastern USA (Florida, D.C.).  The life cycle is unknown.

Aphids on the world's plants

Phylloxera caryaescissa

Hosts: Carya tomentosa (and tomentosa hybrid), cordiformis, glabra, texana

Round and convex above; red, light green, yellowish-green, or white in color; diameter 8.0–14.0 mm; below level with leaf tissue or convex, light green, and opening a pubescent transverse slit.

Leaf gall: button

Range: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, OK, SC, TX, VA

Species Diversity of Hickory-feeding Phylloxerans (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae) in the U.S.