Wot no conkers?

[Paul mabbott]

I've been wandering round London monitoring the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis. However, I was most struck by the effects of another invader - Cameraria ohridella -
horse chestnut leaf miner: Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)
Forest Research - Horse chestnut leaf miner - Cameraria ohridella

This has been around for a few years but this year almost every horse chestnut tree in central London seems to be completely leafless. Some people think it's not fatal but I can see trees surviving this sort of damage year after year.

I know it's not a native but horse chestnut has a lot of character and supports good numbers of insects (in contrast to plane trees!). Autumn without conkers?

H
I this having any affect in the rest of the country?

[Imaginos]

I've been on the lookout for these guys in my neck of the woods (St Albans) and not seen any evidence yet. Only a matter of time though methinks.

[nightshade]

There are a lot of trees that appear stressed out in this area lots of yellowing leaves or practically bare
Trees in towns and cities with little or no open soil to catch rain water when we have it
must be really hard pressed
There was a snippet on TV about gardeners losing their lawns and familiar garden shrubbery etc.due to climate change
I seem to remember a list of trees likely to be affected

[aeshna5]

The Horse Chestnut at my work has now shed most leaves + remaining ones are shrivelled, but a few conkers have now fallen, less than normal + possibly smaller too; though the squirrels are still enjoying them. Though the Cameraria moth is unwelcome, it's quite an attractive moth when observed with a hand lens, though when they are flying they could easily be mistaken for midge-like flies.!

Given the devastation these moths are causing I wonder whether there will be a crash in their numbers in next year or so as I would have thought the effect the're having would be unsustainable in long term. We need some parasatoid species to check the population.