09/06/2026
Take a stroll down Cathedral Walk, historically named after the old lime trees which once lined this avenue which joined crowns to create a cathedral framework. You will see the new Lime trees planted after storm toppled the ancient ones, and, if you look closely at the leaves, you can see the homes of tiny mites.
These mites, '𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘛𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘦', create a chemically induced bright red gall called a 'lime nail gall.' The mites are less than 0.2mm long and, having overwintered in bark fissures and cracks, they move up to the leaves in spring to drink the sap. Whilst drinking the sap, they exude chemicals into the leaves that create the bright red galls which grow around the mite. As autumn approaches the mites leave the feeding shelter of their bright red towers to seek protection back amongst the crevices in the bark.
