Robins pincushion

PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
edited July 16, 2009 in Holy Macro
These are galls growing on wild rose which appear mid/late summer and are the home of the grub of the small wasp Diplolepis rosae. The wasp lays its eggs on leaf buds and a reaction to its injection of fluid in the plant stem causes the wild rose plant to produce this abnormal growth. The growth provides protection for the grub through the winter. It also helps to protect it from the extremes of temperature. The young wasps emerge in the spring to re-start the cycle.

592206378_KzAT2-XL.jpg

A full size image may be seen on my website. http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/gallery/8920284_Q2J3L/1/#592206378_KzAT2-A-LB
Cheers

Peter

http://www.imageinuk.com

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