A robust multigenerational laboratory rearing methodology for Diplolepis mayri and Diplolepis rosae on wild roses (Rosa spp.)

We report a novel robust method for rearing two species of cynipid gall wasps, Diplolepis mayri (Schlechtendal) and Diplolepis rosae (Linnaeus) (both Hymenoptera: Diplolepididae), under controlled laboratory conditions. This study involved using five wild rose species (Rosa rubiginosa [L.], Rosa canina [L], Rosa gallica [L], Rosa spinosissima [L.], and Rosa arvensis [Huds]; Rosaceae) maintained under artificial lighting with L14:D10 (2023) and L16:D8 (2024) photoperiods, 60%–70% relative humidity, and a constant temperature of 22–23°C. Successful induction, development, and emergence of gall wasps were achieved over two consecutive years. Remarkably, a second generation of D. mayri emerged within the same year, a phenomenon not previously observed in outdoor nor laboratory settings. Our results show that D. mayri may be more suited for laboratory model studies than D. rosae. This technique provides a foundation for future studies on the ecology, evolution, and host–parasite interactions of cynipid wasps.