Robin's Pincushion again

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 23 Jun 2026
  • 137 reads
4 comments
 

Slowly
walking to the post,
industrial area
weeds along the fence
–what's that? – nearly missed it!

Pretty, hairy, moss-like sphere:
such a surprise on a wild dog-rose.
Apparently induced  as the gall wasp's larvae nibble,
plant tissue stimulated, and this odd thing grows –
a nursery with a strange reddish fuzzy coat!

See also:
https://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/robin%E2%80%99s-pincushion

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Di_Hard on

That IS an impressive specimen! Are they the same kind of wasp that make oak apples?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, - no, it seems different species of wasp make different galls, different 'hosts'. I had to look it up! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

I don't think I've seen one of these Rhiannon, perhaps you don't get them around here? Are they supposed to be weeds? A worm inside a flower ... makes met think of William Blake's, "poor rose, though art sick etc.

Terrible actually the rose didn't want it. Very Tragic. She was innocent.

Keep well look after yourself! Nolan &

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Actually I think there may be a plant called Robin's pincushion in South Africa, but also these galls on roses are found there I think, and have the same name. There are lots of different odd-looking plant galls (Di mentioned 'oak apples' above. The wasp injects its eggs into its chosen plant and the plant tissue is stimulated to produce this growth aroun the hatching little larvae to protect and feed them! So they arent' weeds in themselvs. What I saw this time was the growth on a wild rose that was growing amongst weeds along the fence of a factory and pavement Rhiannon