Gall on False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:39 pm
Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia) & Obolodiplosis robiniae:
On the 14/09/2018 I was at Allerton Towers, Woolton Road, Allerton, Liverpool, Merseyside (SJ41788637) where I found galls of the gall-midge Obolodiplosis robiniae on a Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia/Black Locust) tree.
The following day (15/09/2018) I was at a "Galls with Microscopes" workshop at Liverpool Museum where I showed the Obolodiplosis robinae gall found yesterday at Allerton Towers. On leaving the workshop and going to the car-park at the rear of the Museum I noticed a Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia/Black Locust) tree near the back-gate of the Museum (SJ34829085). Checking it over quickly revealed Obolodiplosis robiniae galls to be fairly frequent. These were the first records of the species in the Merseyside area.
I know a gall of Obolodiplosis robiniae was found at the rECOrd "Gall Recording" day at Marbury Park on 18th August 2018 by Dave Higginson-Tranter and this would appear to be the only record of this species in Cheshire (so far).
Now would seem to be the time to get out there and to search out False Acacia trees (parks and gardens are good areas for these ornamentals) and to look for the galls of this gall-midge. (See photos below).
Steve
On the 14/09/2018 I was at Allerton Towers, Woolton Road, Allerton, Liverpool, Merseyside (SJ41788637) where I found galls of the gall-midge Obolodiplosis robiniae on a Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia/Black Locust) tree.
The following day (15/09/2018) I was at a "Galls with Microscopes" workshop at Liverpool Museum where I showed the Obolodiplosis robinae gall found yesterday at Allerton Towers. On leaving the workshop and going to the car-park at the rear of the Museum I noticed a Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia/Black Locust) tree near the back-gate of the Museum (SJ34829085). Checking it over quickly revealed Obolodiplosis robiniae galls to be fairly frequent. These were the first records of the species in the Merseyside area.
I know a gall of Obolodiplosis robiniae was found at the rECOrd "Gall Recording" day at Marbury Park on 18th August 2018 by Dave Higginson-Tranter and this would appear to be the only record of this species in Cheshire (so far).
Now would seem to be the time to get out there and to search out False Acacia trees (parks and gardens are good areas for these ornamentals) and to look for the galls of this gall-midge. (See photos below).
Steve