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GALL RECORDER’S REPORT
GALL RECORDER’S REPORT FOR 2023, INCLUDING SYNERGUS CLANDESTINUS EADY, 1952 AND ANDRICUS LEGITIMUS WIEBES-RIJKS, 1980 (HYMENOPTERA: CYNIPIDAE), NEW TO SUFFOLK JERRY BOWDREY Introduction This year has seen the publication by the Field Studies Council of the third edition of the invaluable British Plant Galls (Redfern et al. 2023). This fully revised identification guide contains many new species as well as host information and updated keys. Some of the more notable Suffolk finds for 2023 are detailed below. Diptera: Cecidomyiidae At Darsham Marshes nature reserve (TM420689) on 26.vi.2023 my attention was drawn to an unusual looking catkin on a willow, later identified as Salix triandra L. (Almond Willow) growing beside a path. This proved to be induced by the gall midge Rabdophaga heterobia (Loew) a species previously only recorded in Suffolk from Somerleyton (Vincent, 2019).
Figure 1. Galled catkin of Salix triandra.
Figure 2. Larvae of Rabdophaga heterobia.
The female catkin is distorted by a downy swelling (Fig. 1) situated either at its base or apex, the stamens and scales thickened (Redfern et al. 2023). Several orange larvae (Fig. 2) are found inside. Occurring only on S. triandra, an alternate generation appears later in the year galling buds of the same host. Cynipidae : Aylacini (herb gall wasps) Aylax papaveris (Perris)is a gall inducer in the capsules of Papaver spp., most noticeable on P. dubium L. (Long-headed poppy). Morley (1935) included an uncertain record of the gall from his garden at Monks Soham (as Aulax papaveris), but the presence of the species in Suffolk was confirmed by Ellis (1933) from Belton. On 4.vii.2010 Laurie Forsyth found the gall between Tunstall and Wantisden (TM368536) and these remained the only confirmed records for Suffolk.
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 59 (2023)