Diplolepis

Diplolepis is a genus of small wasps in the family Cynipidae, commonly known as gall wasps. Members of this genus induce the formation of galls on roses (genus Rosa), providing food and shelter for developing larvae. The best known species is Diplolepis rosae, whose larvae create the bedeguar gall on wild roses, also called the mossy rose gall or robin’s pincushion.

Many Diplolepis species exhibit complex life cycles that involve alternating generations with different galls and sometimes different host tissues. The asexual or parthenogenetic generation typically produces large, mosslike galls on the stems of wild roses. The sexual generation, when present, forms smaller or differently shaped galls on leaves or leaf tissue, yielding adults that mate and begin a new cycle. The two generations may use the same plant species but exploit distinct tissues and seasons.

Ecology and distribution: Diplolepis species are found across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with Diplolepis rosae particularly associated with Europe and parts of Asia. Galls house the larvae and provide microhabitats that attract various parasitoid and inquiline insects, creating a small gall-associated ecosystem. While galls can reduce vigor in heavily infested plants, many hosts tolerate the damage without long-term decline.

In summary, Diplolepis comprises rose-infesting gall wasps notable for their distinctive rose galls and, in many species, alternating-generation lifecycles that link stem- and leaf-based gall forms.