Robin's pin cushion (rose bedeguar gall)
Often found on wild or species roses, robin's pin cushion is a harmless growth on the stems of roses. It is caused by a gall wasp and consists of a hard woody structure with an outer covering of moss-like reddish pink or yellowish green leaves.
Quick facts
Scientific names Diplolepis rosae
Plants affected Roses
Timing Summer
What is Robin's pin cushion?
Robin's pin cushion, also known as rose bedeguar gall, is an harmless growth caused by a species of gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae) it is part of the biodiversity roses support. The adult wasp lays eggs in the
Instead of buds developing into normal shoots and leaves, they are converted into hard woody structures that have an outer covering of moss-like leaves, which are either reddish pink or yellowish green. The internal part of the gall contains a number of chambers in which the grubs develop. The galls are fully developed during August and the insects overwinter inside the galls as pupae. During the autumn the outer covering of moss-like leaves tends to decay and this leaves the hard woody centre exposed.
This insect is more frequently found on wild roses or
There are more than 900 plant gall forming animals in the UK, including mites, beetles, flies, gall wasps, plant sucking bugs (psyllids), aphids and sawflies.
The encourages and co-ordinates the study of plant galls in the British Isles.
Control
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