What’s that on my tree?

Gall formed by the poplar petiole gall aphid on the petiole portion of the leaf of a local poplar tree.

Photo by Brad Stokes

The poplar petiole gall aphid, Pemphigus populitransversus, is unlike many of the aphid species of Idaho, in that it creates galls on the petiole portion of the leaf of poplar trees.

As with most aphids their life cycle is quite complex and involves two host plants – poplar trees as their main host and cruciferous (cabbage, broccoli, mustard, canola etc.) as their summer host.

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