Creeping Thistle Gall

[mrs fish]

I thought I'd share what I found to-day, it is a Creeping Thistle Gall



I have sent the Gall County Recorder the details and have asked if they are very common.
It is made by the insect Urophora cardui

Thistle Gall Fly - Urophora cardui

Have any of you seen this Gall or the insect ?

ps I never know whether to post these in Wildflower/plants or the Insect forum ?

[djackso]

Yes - just a couple of hours ago!

Let me know if I should report it.

Cheers.

[mrs fish]

Do you know who your recorder is ?

If not hopefully someone will let you know

I have had a look on the net but can't find a recorder for NW London ??

[djackso]

Hi Mrs Fish - I cannot find the recorder, but if anyone knows who it is, that would be great. I need the one for Hertfordshire. TY

[mrs fish]

Here we are then

Hertfordshire Natural History Society - County Recorders

Other records are at the bottom of the page

[djackso]

Cheers

[poschiavanus]

Not all counties have a gall recorder. Either send the record to your local Biological Record Centre, or to Janet Boyd, the British Plant Gall Society's Recorder (details on the BPGS site).

I think Urophora cardui is common enough in Southern & Central England, but it has only recently been found in Yorkshire (Higginbottom (2007). Cecidology 22 (1): 29-30). The flies pupate in the thistle stem and require particular conditions to mature, so certain management regimes will eliminate the pupae during the winter.

HTH,

poschiavanus

[mrs fish]

The meadow is cut down every year, should be Autumn but last year it was first week in November , not good for Hedgehogs
Anyway I won't get to see it ripen.