Galled stem of Glechoma hederacea

A stem of ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea, showing six galls induced by the hymenopteran gall-wasp, Liposthenes latreillei, syn. L glechomae.The picture shows three large (1.5cm) green galls and three smaller, reddish-brown. The white region between green and the red galls is "cuckoo-spit"; the foam within which live species of sap-sucking froghoppers. A very small immature froghopper is visible as an orange dot on the right hand red gall. Galls are produced by plants in response to the laying of eggs by various classes of insect. The gall offers some protection against predators to the larva that lives within it. However, the larva may itself become the victim of other species of gall wasp (so-called inquilines) that lay their eggs in the already formed gall. L. latreilli pupates withi the gall over winter, and emerges in May of the following year