Cherry Gall

The cherry gall wasp (scientific name: Cynips quercusfolii) is a tiny gall wasp that causes growths, or ‘galls’, on the undersides of oak leaves. The grub remains in the gall after leaf-fall, emerging as an adult wasp in winter. This asexual generation will lay its eggs on the oak tree trunk, which eventually mature to the sexual generation; this generation mates and produces the more obvious galls. The galls look like red cherries and are about 2cm in diameter. The larvae of the wasp feed on the host tissues but cause little damage. The cherry gall wasp is common and can be found from July to October.

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