David J. Shetlar The eastern spruce gall adelgid, Aldelges
abietis (Linnaeus), is commonly referred to as an aphid.
However, aphids have long antennae and characteristic cornicles,
or pipe-like tubes arising from the tip of the abdomen. Adelgids
have short antennae and no cornicles. This pest is found
throughout all of North America, wherever its host spruces are
grown. It has also been exported to Europe. This pest prefers
Norway and white spruces, but occasionally attacks red, black,
Englemann and Colorado spruces. The pineapple-shaped galls
greatly stunt the growth of new spruce shoots. Trees demonstrate
a wide range of susceptibility, some have many galls which kill
the branch and others having few galls which allow for continued
branch growth. This relative of aphids causes small pineapple-
shaped galls at the bases of branches. The eastern spruce gall
adelgid overwinters as immature females (fundatrices) attached
to the current year's twigs, usually at the bases of buds. In
mid-April these dark greenish-