Nature Notes from Argyll
(and occasionally other places)
Sun 16 Sep 2007 Durham Botanical Gardens - British Plant Gall Society AGM - Day 2 of 2
Nail Galls on Common Lime caused by the mite Eriophyes tiliae. Upper and lower sides of the gall of the Walnut Blister Mite, Aceria erineus, which can't be a native species since its host plant is not.
The Oyster Gall and Common Spangle Gall on the non-British Downy Oak. These are native and very common on both the British oak species.
Both these galls were on the same Sitka Spruce tree. They are caused by adelgids, a kind of woolly aphid associated mainly with Pine and Spruce. The gall-causers here are Adelges cooleyi (left) and Adelges laricis (right). They don't occur on any native trees, and so must be aliens themselves.
An area of the Gardens was devoted to the arable weeds which have largely disappeared from the countryside in recent years owing to herbicides. This one is the Corn Marigold.
The Orange Ladybird is common on Sycamore trees, and is here
seen on a related exotic tree (Acer sp).
All photos and other content copyright © Carl Farmer