Cherry Gall Wasp - Cynips quercusfolii

Description

Cynips quercusfolii is a small black gall wasp.  Agamic galls are cherry galls on the leaves of some species of oak. The galls are large and succulent, 15 to 25 mm in diameter, smoother on Quercus robur or more warty on Quercus petraea; yellow-green suffused with pink or red, and later dark red then brown with a thick walled chamber. They persist on fallen leaves over winter.

The sexual gall is on buds, and is ovoid and with a velvety surface.

Similar Species

The agamic cherry galls are a similar size to the common marble gall (Andricus kollari) but these form from buds, not on a leaf. 

There are several similar bud galls on oak

Identification difficulty

Agamic (cherry) gall sexual gall  Adult

Habitat

Around oaks.

When to see it

Galls appear towards autumn.

Life History

Its larvae cause cherry galls to form on the leaves of some species of oak (see above).

UK Status

Widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Cherry Gall
Species group:
Bees, Wasps, Ants
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Hymenoptera
Family:
Cynipidae
Records on NatureSpot:
90
First record:
09/09/2011 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
22/03/2024 (Catherine Horrell)

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% of records within its species group

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