About Heteroecus pacificus (Ashmead, 1896)
Heteroecus pacificus, commonly known as the beaked spindle gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp that belongs to the family Cynipidae. This species is found in western North America. The galls formed by Heteroecus pacificus develop on two oak species: canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) and huckleberry oak (Quercus vaccinifolia). Heteroecus pacificus produces two generations each year. One generation includes both sexually reproducing males and females, while the second generation is made up entirely of parthenogenetic females. Parthenogenetic females of this species range from 2.8 to 3.7 mm (0.11 to 0.15 inches) in length, and sexually reproducing individuals range from 2.2 to 2.8 mm (0.087 to 0.110 inches) in length.
