Essex gall report 2000
Diptera
Galls of the tephritid fly Myopites inulaedyssentericae in the capitula of Common Fleabane Pulicaria
dysenterica continue to be found in good numbers, being particularly common at Little Clacton
(TM1618, 6.V.2000, JPB). This RDB3 species has increased its range markedly in recent years.
The cecidomyiid Kiefferia pericarpiicola appears to be quite scarce in Essex. A single gall was
found on an inflorescence of Wild Carrot Daucus carota on Frinton Cliffs (TM2420, 23.vii.2000,
JPB); although thousands of carrot flowerheads were present, no other galls were detected.
Hemiptera
On Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica at Harrison Sayer, galls of Trichochermes walkeri were common
and, near the entrance to the reserve, irregular purple swellings on Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
indicated the presence of the gall-forming aphid Cryptosiphum artemisiae. T. walkeri galls were
also found at Matching (TL534126, 12.viii.2000, Martin Heywood).
Eriophyiidae
An unfamiliar mite gall on Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea was identified as Cecidophyes
atrichus (Nalepa) at Thorpe Far Green (TM 1622) on 8.X.2000 (JPB).
Fungi
Galls of the fungus Taphrina pruni on Blackthorn Prunus spinosa were generally not as abundant as
in 1999, but Stickling Green, Clavering was anew locality (TL469330,2.vii.200, Martin Heywood).
In November examples of galls and their inducers were displayed at the Field Club's very successful
indoor meeting in Chelmsford. An interesting paper on galls by Ken Hill (Hill 2000), gall recorder
for the London Natural History Society, appeared in the London Naturalist. It contains much of
relevance to Essex, including pointers to some species we might hope to see arriving here shortly
from the London area. Whilst on the subject of literature, the British Plant Gall Society is currently
testing a new set of keys to galls, far more extensive than Fred Stubbs' Provisional Keys. This new
publication, edited by Margaret Redfern and Peter Shirley, should provide a great impetus to gall
recording when it is finally published in conjunction with the Field Studies Council, hopefully later
this year.
I should like to thank Brian Ecott, Martin Harvey, Ken Hill and Ray Ruffell for supplying records of
their cecidological discoveries over the past year.
As usual, I would be happy to receive any gall specimens or records from Essex.
Reference
HILL, K. (2000) Plant gall records for 1998 and 1999. London Naturalistic. 103-109.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 18 (2001)