Oak Apple Gall Wasp - Biorhiza pallida

Size 2 to 3.5 mm, they are a golden chestnut colour. The apple like gall caused by ths wasp is more likely to be seen than the adult wasp.

Adult Gall

Around varieties of oak.

Adults emerge from the Oak Apple Galls in June and July.

The spongy galls contain many insects, but each gall contains only one sex. Like many Cynipidae species, Biorhiza pallida has two generations in its life cycle. One being sexual and the other agamic (females who can reproduce without mating). With Biorhiza pallida both stages of take place on Pedunculate Oak, the more commonly seen "Oak Apple Gall" is the sexual generation on the buds and the agamic generation root gall is found on the roots of the tree.

Quite common and widespread throughout Britain.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.