Ram’s-horn Gall Andricus aries near Blakedown, Worcestershire 8th February 2015
Mark Peacock
While searching an oak tree near Blakedown for Purple Hairstreak eggs (I had found them on the tree in previous years) I found a Ram’s-horn Gall at SO8790 7709 on 8th February 2015 (01). This appears to be the fourth Worcestershire record (see Hill & Hill 2015 in this issue of Worcestershire Record).
Editor’s note
John Meiklejohn (2009) warned us to look out for new oak galls in Worcestershire. Simpson & Westwood (2012) reported the first two records. The gall has now been found at four sites spanning the county so it is likely to be elsewhere. More records would be welcome for this new invader.
There seems to be some disparity in the published spelling of the English name for this gall. I have decided to follow Chinery (2011) by using ‘Ram’s-horn Gall’ as this seems to be correct for a name descriptive of its shape although I suppose some might expect to find the gall on the horns of a male sheep.
References
Chinery, M. (2011) Britain’s Plant Galls. WildGuides for The British Plant Gall Society.
Meiklejohn, J. 2009 New oak galls in WorcestershireWorcestershire. Worcestershire Record. 26:14-15 http://www.wbrc.org.uk/WORCRECD/Issue%2026/new_oak_gall_in_worcestershire.htm.).
Simpson, A. & Westwood, B. (2013) Ram’s-horn Gall Andricus aries found in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Record 35:45.
Hill, G. & Hill, A. 2015. Ram’s-horn gall Andricus aries at Whitethorn Bank, Rushwick, Worcester. Worcsetershire Record 38.
Images
01. Ram's-horn Gall Andricus aries, Blakedown, Worcestershire. Mark Peacock
