INFLUENCE OF SNOW COVER ON THE OVERWINTERING OF THREE SPECIES OF GALL-FORMING <i>DIPLOLEPIS</i> (HYMENOPTERA: CYNIPIDAE)

Abstract

Abstract Prepupae of three species of Diplolepis ( D . nebulosa (Bassett) a leaf-gall-former, an undescribed stem-gall-former, and D . radicum (Osten Sacken), a root-gall-former) were overwintered at various heights above the ground. Most prepupae of all three species buried beneath the snow survived the winter, while only stem-gall-formers survived at a height subject to fluctuating snow depths. All specimens of the three species that overwintered above the snow were killed.