Identification of the parasitoid community associated with an outbreaking gall wasp, , and their relative abundances in New England and Long Island, New York.

Gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) are phytophagous insects that often go unnoticed; however, when they are introduced to a new area or released from their natural enemies, they have the capacity to outbreak and cause extensive foliar damage. One such outbreaking pest, (Cynipidae: Cynipini), causes significant damage and mortality to black oak, , in the northeastern United States. In this study, we aimed to identify the parasitoid community associated with , compare differences in percent parasitism of in Cape Cod and Long Island, and determine which parasitoid species contribute most to parasitism in each region. From both locations, we reared parasitoids, identified morphological groups, analyzed percent parasitism rates for each group, and used DNA barcoding to provide species-level identifications. On Long Island, there was nearly 100% parasitism in 2015 followed by a near total collapse of the population in 2016. In contrast, parasitism rates were lower and remained consistent on Cape Cod between 2015 and 2016, which may explain the greater canopy damage observed in that region. Species of Sycophila were the dominant parasitoids, with one species nr. representing ~65% of reared parasitoids from Long Island, and two species of (nr.  and ) with near equal representations on Cape Cod. In order to manage an insect pest, it is important to understand factors that influence its mortality and survival. An understanding of how these infestations progress overtime can help predict the impact that newer infestations in Nantucket, MA, and coastal Rhode Island will have on black oak populations and will aid in the management of this rapidly spreading gall wasp pest.