GALL RECORDER’S REPORT
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GALL RECORDER’S REPORT 2022, INCLUDING THE MITES ACERIA ONONIDIS AND CECIDOPHYOPSIS MALPIGHIANUS PROVISIONALLY RECORDED AS NEW TO SUFFOLK AND THE HYMENOPTERAN PARASITOID PEDIOBIUS ROTUNDATUS NEW TO THE COUNTY JERRY BOWDREY Introduction Gall inducers continue to be discovered new to Britain, some arriving naturally and others being inadvertently introduced, sometimes via the horticultural trade and in spite of plant health certification. Many of these newly established species will be covered in the third edition of the Field Studies Council publication ‘British plant galls’ by Redfern, Shirley and Bloxham, due out in 2023. As well as these new arrivals, our knowledge of the distribution of species already established in Suffolk continues to grow. Some of the more significant records for the year are listed below under their relevant groups. All records, images and identifications are the author’s. Notable records for 2022 Insecta Diptera: Cecidomyiidae (Gall midges) Dasineura kiefferi Marchal This gall midge affects the flowers of ivy (Hedera helix) and was reported as new to Suffolk in 2020 (Bowdrey, 2021). Several galled flowers were found in the churchyard at Iken (TM411566) on 21.ix.2022, JPB. As previously mentioned, this gall is probably very under-recorded. Hymenoptera: Cynipidae (Gall wasps) Andricus callidoma (Hartig) The sexual generation of this species produces small catkin galls on Quercus robur which resemble wisps of cotton wool. It is seldom found and was thought to be confined to the tops of mature trees; however, galls were found at both Ickworth Park (TL812611) on 3.v.2021 and Minsmere blocks (TM476646) on 21.v.2022 (Fig. 1) and in both cases were located only a couple of metres above the ground. This gall might be confused with the early stages of Andricus quercusramuli, but this gall first appears later in May when A. callidoma adults have Figure 1. Gall of the sexual generation of Andricus callidoma on Quercus robur catkin. already emerged.
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 58 (2022)