Pineapple Gall Adelgid - Sacchiphantes abietis

Alternative names
Adelges abietis
Eastern Spruce Gall Adelgid
Description

The Pineapple Gall Adelgid (Adelges abietis) is a type of conifer-feeding insect, similar to an aphid that forms pineapple-shaped plant galls on its host species, commonly Norway and Sitka Spruce. The galls are more noticeable than the insect. The mature gall is ellipsoidal with its length less than 1.5 times the width and usually about 15 to 20 mm in length. The spruce needles on the gall are shorter than normal. The gall is only slightly paler green than a normal shoot. The slits to gall chambers are often orange-red or deep pink before opening. There are often several galls together at the base of adjacent shoots, and plant growth often continues beyond gall. 

Similar Species

There are several other species of Adelges creating pineapple galls on spruce, larch and other conifers

Identification difficulty

Gall  Adult

Habitat

In areas where Norway and Sitka Spruce are present.

When to see it

Galls are present in summer with the gall chambers opening in August or September.

UK Status

Status in Britain is difficult to determine due to lack of records.

VC55 Status

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Bugs
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Hemiptera
Family:
Adelgidae
Records on NatureSpot:
9
First record:
12/07/2017 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
21/04/2022 (Graves, Hazel)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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