Forda formicaria von Heyden, 1837
grass-root aphid
on Pistacia, primary host plant
Pistacia terebinthus, gall (from Houard, 1909a)
Greece, Lefkas, Katouna, 6.ix.2021 © Laurens van der Linde
opened gall with larvae
some days later, now alatae
Pistacia terebinthus, Greece, Sterea, Konitsa, 25.vii.2020 ©
Cor Zonneveld
Pistacia terebinthus, Spain, Huesca, Embalse de Santa Ana, 15.vi.2019 ©
Cor Zonneveld: secondary galls
fundatrix galls
detail
fundatrix galls, lighted from behind
fundatrix galls and secondary galls

Pistacia terebinthus, Spain, prov. Léon, San Juan de Paluezas © Nicolás Pérez
gall
There are two types of galls.The fundatrix lives in a small open gall at the base of a leaflet. Her offspring lives in a semicircular upwards rolling of the leaf margin.
host plants
Anacardiaceae, narrowly monophagous
Pistacia terebinthus & subsp. palaestina.
According to Houard also P. atlantica, vera.
on Poaceae, secondary host plants
gall
Aphids at the roots.
host plants
Poaceae, Cyperaceae, oligophagous
“Agropyron”; Agrostis; Anisantha sterilis; Avena sterilis; Bromus; Cynodon; Dactylis; Deschampsia; Festuca; Hordeum; Lolium; Ochlopoa annua; Poa; Secale; Setaria; Stipa parviflora; Triticum aestivum; Carex; Cyperus
Nieto Nafría ao report an unusual, but well developed colony on Andryala.
synonym
Pemphigus semilunarius Passerini, 1856, Forda, Tetraneura, semilunaria; F. formicaria subnuda Börner, 1952; F. meridionalis Mordvilko, 1935.
notes
In more northern parts of Europe, where the primary hosts do not occur, the species may live without host alternation on grasses. The aphids on their secondary host plants have a strong association with ants; they also hibernate in ants’ nests.
references
Barbagallo, Binazzi, Pennacchio & Pollini (2011a), Barbagallo & Massimino Cocuzza (2014a), Barbagallo & Pollini (2014a), Barjadze, Japoshvili, Karaca & Özdemir (2014a), Béguinot (2003a), Bellmann (2012a), Blackman & Eastop (2014), Blanes-Dalmau, Caballero-López & Pujade-Villar (2017a), Börner & Franz (1956a), Cogolludo (1921a), Dauphin & Aniotsbehere (1997a), Heie (1980a), Houard (1909a), Inbar, Wink & Wool (2004a), Lampel & Meier (2003a), Meliá Masiá (1986a), Nieto Nafría & de Benito Dorrego (1976a), Nieto Nafría, Mier Durante, Binazzi & Pérez Hidalgo (2002a), Petrović (1998a), Pellizzari (2010b), Pérez Hidalgo, Martínez Peláez & Nieto Nafría (2001a), Roberti (1983a), Schimitschek (1939a), Suay Cano & González Funes (1998c), Tambs-Lyche & Heie (1994a), Tavares (1905a), Tomasi (2014a), Wojciechowski, Depa, Halgoš ao (2016a), Wool & Kurzfeld-Zexer (2008a).