other orders
Knopper Gall on pedunculate oak: Andricus quercuscalicis
Wanstead Park, 19 July 2007
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Very common in Wanstead Park and adjacent areas. These galls are caused by a gall wasp.
The knopper gall - or the insect that causes it, Andricus quercuscalis - was first noticed in Britain in the early 60's and has spread rapidly across the country. It requires both the Pedunculate Oak and the Turkey Oak to complete its life cycle; On the former, the asexual (all-female) generation develops on the acorn, as shown above. On the Turkey Oak the sexual generation of the insect develops in spring in small conical galls that form on the male catkins.
