mite galls on salix?

[diggleken]

errrmm, this is possibly a bit naughty cos its not a fungus I dont think - more mite galls I suspect, this time on weeping willow, salix spp (sepulcralis?).
Top and bottom views below, taken today.
Posch, Chris and others- help?
Cheers
Ken

[poschiavanus]

Galls they are, but bean galls of the sawfly Pontania proxima. Very common on Crack Willow and commonish on White Willow. On other species of willow there are similar galls caused by Pontania triandrae (Almond Willow) and Pontania bridgmanni (Goat Willow and Grey Sallow). There are mite galls on willow, but they are much smaller (1-2 mm across) and have a hole on the undersurface with protruding hairs. Galls on Willows aren''t for the faint hearted: there are lots of them, but the taxonomy is shifting, and of course there's the problem of identifying the Willow.

There should be plenty of rusts (perhaps commoner on Osier and the Sallows) for the mycologist.

Posch

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by poschiavanus

Galls they are, but bean galls of the sawfly Pontania proxima. Very common on Crack Willow and commonish on White Willow. On other species of willow there are similar galls caused by Pontania triandrae (Almond Willow) and Pontania bridgmanni (Goat Willow and Grey Sallow). There are mite galls on willow, but they are much smaller (1-2 mm across) and have a hole on the undersurface with protruding hairs. Galls on Willows aren''t for the faint hearted: there are lots of them, but the taxonomy is shifting, and of course there's the problem of identifying the Willow.

There should be plenty of rusts (perhaps commoner on Osier and the Sallows) for the mycologist.

Posch

Excellent, thanks a lot Posch - I think I'll stick with fungi..............
And willows arent always easy either, without a good reference - mmmhhh.
Good description, bean gall though -I seem to be majoring on sawfly at the moment - pretty flag iris sawfly caterpillars the other day.
there were rusty bits too, so I might just have another look!
Cheers
Ken