123
Diplolepis spinosissimae (Giraud, 1859) 1 km.sq. records: 1 Rare
Host: R.canina agg. wild rose, Rosa rubiginosa L. Sweetbriar, [Rosapimpinellifolia L. Burnet
rose]
Part galled: leaf, stem
This species has only one recent County record, from Foulness, where it was discovered in
1998. There is an old record from Epping (Niblett, 1944J. In 1941 J Ross found a few galls on
Rosa canina and R. rubiginosa and bred the wasp the following May (Niblett, 1944).
The usual host plant in the west of the country is Rosa pimpinellifolia and the galls can be quite
common on sand dunes etc. where this host grows. In Essex, however, R.pimpinellifolia is
absent (Jermyn, 1974) and at the Foulness site R.canina agg. is utilised.
The galls are spherical, but project on both sides of the leaf, occasionally too or more may
coalesce. They are up to five min. in diameter and turn from green to red before dropping with
the leaf in autumn and turning brown. Stem galls (usually on R.pimpinellifolia) remain on the
plant.
The adult insect has a black gaster and the notaulices converge sharply apically.
Diplolepis spp. species complex producing smooth pea galls
lkm.sq. records: 69
Host: Rosa spp. wild rose
Part galled: leaf
There are a number of records of smooth pea galls which could be referable to unspined
examples of D. nervosa galls or to Diplolepis eglanteriae or D. centifoliae. In none of these cases
has an adult insect been reared, so accurate identification is impossible. As far as can be
ascertained D. centifoliae has never been recorded from Essex.
Future recording
There is still much work to be done, both in extending the known distribution of the species
mentioned above and in adding new ones to the county list. It is especially likely that species
such as Isocolus fitchi, I. jaceae and I. rogenhoferi galling Centaurea scabiosa could turn up in
Essex, as could Aulacidea subterminalis on Pilosella.
Several mainland European oak galls have colonised Britain in the last thirty years and it is
likely that those on other hosts could do the same. There is also the possibility of native species
as yet undiscovered as well as the doubtfully British species to be confirmed.
The author would be interested in receiving any records of non-oak Cynipid galls and is willing
to identify material.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 16 (1999)