Adelges

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Paraneoptera
Order	Hemiptera
Suborder	Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily	Aphidoidea
Family	Adelgidae

Scientific Name

Adelges

Common Name

spruce gall and wooly adelgids

Adelges (spruce gall aphids) is a genus of aphids in the order Hemiptera, family Adelgidae. They have a complex life history, involving up to five generations using two conifer host species, the primary host a spruce on which they form galls, the secondary host a species in a different genus in the family Pinaceae, on which they are free-living, usually covered with a woolly white wax secretion. In several species, the spruce host is not, or only rarely, used, the species being able to complete its life cycle parthenogenetically on the alternate host.

Species and hosts

Species Spruce host Alternate host Adelges abietis Picea abies Larix spp. Adelges cooleyi Picea sitchensis, Picea engelmannii Pseudotsuga menziesii, rarely Larix spp. Adelges laricis Picea abies Larix spp. Adelges piceae – Abies spp. Adelges tsugae – Tsuga spp. Adelges viridana – Larix spp. Adelges viridis Picea abies Larix spp. Adelges nordmannianae Picea orientalis Abies nordmanniana

The closely related genus Pineus uses spruces and pines.

References

• Davies, J. M. (1968). Adelgids attacking spruce and other conifers. Forestry Commission Leaflet 7.