Population ecology of the gall-forming aphid,Aploneura lentisci (Pass.) in Israel

1. Aploneura lentisci (Passerini ) (Homoptera, Aphididae) forms kidney-shaped galls on the leaflets of its primary host, Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae). Observations on its population dynamics and ecology werecarried out in 1980–1985.
2. The galls are formed annually on newly-growing shoots of the same year. Each gall is founded by a single nymph and contains its parthenogenetic offspring. The infestation period (late March-early April) is short relative to the period of appearance of new shoots. The distribution of galls on the shoots is non-random (“clumped”). Early shoots emerging near pruning cuts, when the rest of the buds are still dormant, are often very heavily infested.
3. Clone size within galls increases from 1 in April to several hundred in September (at least 2 parthenogenetic generations). Alates of the last generation leave the galls gradually as they form. By the following March, previous-year galls contain no live aphids.
4. Population density of galls varied greatly among years. Possible causes of this variation are discussed.