Lime nail gall mite

During the summer months, the foliage of lime trees (Tilia) can become covered with elongate red tack-like galls on the upper side of leaves. This is due to the feeding activities of a gall mite.

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Lime nail gall on Tilia
Lime nail gall on Tilia

Quick facts

Common name Lime nail gall mite
Latin name Eriophyes tiliae and E. lateannulatus
Plants affected Lime (Tilia sp.)
Main symptoms Pale yellow or red pointed tubular structures up to 5-8 mm long on the upper leaf surface
Caused by Microscopic gall mites
Timing May-September

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What is lime nail gall mite?

Lime nail gall mites are microscopic animals (less than 0.2 mm long) that feed on the foliage of lime trees (Tilia sp.). The mites feed by sucking sap. They secrete chemicals into the plant tissue that causes the leaves to produce the galls. The mites then suck sap from plant cells lining the gall structure. Like most gall mites there is no harm done to the hosts overall heath and vigour and these animals are part of the biodiversity that healthy trees support. 

There are many different species of gall mite; they are often specific to a single host plant and produce characteristic galls, read more about some others found in gardens. 
 

Survey for lime leaf blotch

Have you seen these dark blotches on lime leaves? We would like to know.

As part of our research, the RHS would like to know if you have seen dark blotches on leaves of lime trees, like in the picture below. We are working to identify what is responsible for these blotches.

Please submit your records via our lime leaf blotch survey (expected time to complete survey = two minutes).

If you have seen blotches like these on lime tree leaves, please let us know via our survey
Thank you to everyone who has submitted records so far. Discover other sightings you can report to help our research here.

Symptoms

Between May and June, upper leaf surfaces of lime trees may develop many pale yellow or red pointed tubular structures up to 5-8 mm long. Although the lime nail gall mite disfigures the foliage it has little or no effect on tree growth.
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Management

The mite has no impact on the tree’s health or growth and so should be treated as biodiversity that healthy lime trees support.

Biology

Lime nail gall mites overwinter as non-feeding females in crevices in the bark, especially near buds, or underneath bud scales. In the spring, when the host plant comes into growth, the mites begin feeding and laying eggs. Up to about 80 eggs may be produced at a rate of two to three a day. There may be two or three generations during the summer with both male and female adults being present. In late summer overwintering females are produced which will not lay eggs until the following year.

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