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

one of the commonest trees on the Downs

Black Garden Ant [Lasius niger]

L. niger on an Oak Apple gall on an English Oak (Quercus robur) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Apr 2026

Purple Hairstreak [Favonius quercus]

caterpillar of F. quercus on an English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Apr 2026

Spring Harbinger moth [Tortricodes alternella]

larva of T. alternella on an English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Apr 2026

Cloaked Case-bearer [Coleophora kuehnella]

larval case of C. kuehnella on an Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 29 Apr 2026

Buzzing Spider [Anyphaena accentuata?]

Female - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 01 May 2025

Silk-button Spangle Gall Wasp [Neuroterus numismalis]

Each of these chemically induced galls on the oak leaf contains a larva of N. numismalis - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Jun 2025

Common Oak Thelaxid [Thelaxes dryophila]

Common Oak Thelaxid aphid alates on female flower peduncle of an English Oak (Quercus robur) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 02 May 2025

Small Quaker moth [Orthosia cruda]

O. cruda caterpillar in crevice of bark on an Oak trunk - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Apr 2026

Pale Brindled Beauty [Phigalia pilosaria]

P. pilosaria caterpillar on an Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Apr 2026

Variegated Golden Tortrix [Archips xylosteana]

A. xylosteana caterpillar on an Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Apr 2026

Common Leaf Weevil [Phyllobius pyri]

P. pyri on an Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Apr 2026

Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly [Xanthogramma citrofasciatum]

male X. citrofasciatum on an Oak (Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 15 May 2026

Yellow Oak Case-bearer [Coleophora flavipennella?]

Larval case of C. flavipennella? on underside of an English Oak ( Quercus robur) leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 07 May 2025

Harlequin Ladybird [Harmonia axyridis]

H. axyridis of form spectabilis on an Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 30 Apr 2026

Green Oak Tortrix [Tortrix viridana]

Adult on oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 09 Jun 2024

Oakmoss [Evernia prunastri]

Oakmoss lichen on dead oak branch with small ‘blobs’ of a jelly fungus - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 28 Jan 2026

Oakmoss lichen [Evernia prunastri]

Oakmoss on an oak branch with a crust fungus - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 11 Dec 2025

Eurasian Jay [Garrulus glandarius]

Eurasian Jay in an English Oak tree - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 8 Apr 2026

Oak Apple Gall Wasp [Biorhiza pallida]

Oak Apple galls on English Oak leaf buds caused by the larvae of (B. pallida); mature gall left (+/-40mm), young red gall right (+/-10mm) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Apr 2026

Green Shield Bug [Palomena prasina]

mating pair of P. prasina (male right) on an English Oak leaf - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Apr 2026