What have I seen on Oak? - A diary of wildlife on Banstead Downs

one of the commonest trees on the Downs

English Oak [Quercus robur]

English Oak with double trunk; Hairy Crust fungus on one, Black Witches' Butter fungus on the other - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Jan 2026

Knopper Gall Wasp [Andricus quercuscalicis]

Gall (‘Knopper Gall’) caused by the wasp A. quercuscalicis laying eggs in the acorn of an English Oak (Quercus robur) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Jul 2025

Oak Cloud [Acrocercops brongniardella]

Leaf mines and cocoons on English Oak (Quercus robur) leaves formed by larvae of A. brongniardella - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Aug 2025

Hairy Curtain Crust [Stereum hirsutum]

Hairy Curtain Crust on a dead oak branch - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Nov 2025

Black Witches' Butter [Exidia glandulosa]

the jelly fungus Black Witches' Butter on oak trunk - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Jan 2026

Sputnik Spider [Paidiscura pallens]

Egg sacs on the underside of an oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Jul 2025

Oak Mildew [Erysiphe alphitoides]

Oak Mildew almost completely covering the leaves of an English Oak (Quercus robur) sapling – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Oct 2025

Hairy Curtain Crust [Stereum hirsutum]

Hairy Curtain Crust on a dead oak branch; note larva feeding on fungus - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Nov 2025

Cloaked Case-bearer moth [Coleophora kuehnella]

larval case of C. kuehnella on an English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 31 Aug 2026

moth larva leaf mine [Stigmella sp.]

Leaf mine on English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf formed by larva of a Stigmella sp. - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Aug 2025

larva [unidentified]

tiny larva on a mildew or slime mould coated decaying oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 15 Dec 2025

Oak Marble Gall Wasp [Andricus kollari agamic]

Oak Marble Gall formed by larva of A. kollari on an English Oak (Quercus robur) terminal bud, showing exit hole of newly emerged adult wasp - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 31 Aug 2026

Hairy Curtain Crust [Stereum hirsutum]

Hairy Curtain Crust on oak trunk - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Jan 2026

Bitter Oysterling [Panellus stipticus ?]

possible P. stipticus on oak stump - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 16 Feb 2026

Hairy Curtain Fungus [Stereum hirsutum]

Hairy Curtain Fungus on a dead oak branch - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Nov 2025

Yellow Brain Fungus [Tremella mesenterica]

Yellow Brain Fungus on a lichen encrusted oak bough - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 31 Jan 2026

Wayward Sawfly [Tenthredo temula]

female T. temula on English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 01 May 2026

crust fungus [Stereum sp.]

crust fungus, either S. hirsutum or S. gausapatum on a dying oak tree - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 31 Jan 2026

Amber Hook-wing [Ancylis mitterbacheriana?]

Leaf-roll created by the caterpillar of A. mitterbacheriana on English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 01 May 2026

chalcidoid wasp [Perilampus sp.]

tiny (+/-4.5mm) chalcidoid wasp on an English Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Apr 2026