Lithosaphonecrus formosanus
Many cynipoid wasps induce trees to make galls, but some have a different approach. Rather than inducing their own galls, members of the tribes Ceroptresini and Synergini are inquilines, which means that they inhabit and feed on galls induced by others. Here a female of the inquiline species Lithosaphonecrus formosanus lays her eggs in a young gall. This will cause the host gall to enlarge (as seen in the gall at left) and also to form locularities, which are larval chambers, inside. This photo was taken in Taichung City, Taiwan. (Photo by Chang-Ti Tang, Ph.D.)