Threat to county’s mighty oaks

The future of Shropshire’s mighty oak trees is under threat from tiny wasps, experts have warned.

The knopper gall wasp, which hails from Eastern Europe, has been laying its eggs in acorns, effectively destroying them.

As the wasp larvae grow, the tree produces chemicals as a defence mechanism transforming its acorns into wooden cocoons known as galls.

And with Shropshire and the rest of the UK in the grip of a wet summer, the nationwide problem is only getting worse, according to one expert.

Andrew Salisbury, of the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “This poses a serious long-term threat to oak trees. In some areas almost all oaks have been affected.”

News of the warning came as no surprise to eagle-eyed Shropshire Star reader John Beech, from Wellington Road, Muxton, Telford.

The 74-year-old has reported seeing warped and misshapen acorns popping up on his beloved oak tree in his garden during the summer.”I found these galls on my oak tree about six weeks ago and have never seen them appear before,” he said.

But experts are divided on the likely impact of knopper gall wasps.

Dr Hugh Evans, of the Forestry Commission, said: “We have seen a few more enquiries about the knopper gall wasp this year.

“However, galls do no long-term harm to the trees.

“The trees will survive and continue producing seeds in the long run.”