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General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: NewYankeeSawmill on May 02, 2024, 02:51:26 PM

Title: I Can't Believe The Gall!!!!
Post by: NewYankeeSawmill on May 02, 2024, 02:51:26 PM
Apparently google thinks that what this is? An Oak Gall. There's a wasp gestating on the inside or something apparently? Found it on an oak seedling in the understory near my pasture garden.

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/WhitePuffBallOakTree.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=353643)

Mother nature never ceases to amaze me with her beauty... Whatever it is!
Title: Re: I Can't Believe The Gall!!!!
Post by: beenthere on May 02, 2024, 04:00:14 PM
That is not what I think of as an oak gall. Have you a link for us as to what you found? Is the pic posted a pic of what you have on an oak?

Maybe a Texas woolly oak gall?
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1374696/bgimage
Title: Re: I Can't Believe The Gall!!!!
Post by: NewYankeeSawmill on May 02, 2024, 04:29:24 PM
Quote from: beenthere on May 02, 2024, 04:00:14 PMMaybe a Texas woolly oak gall?
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1374696/bgimage

I would say that's what it looks like!
Yes, pic is from the woods around my place in East TN this afternoon.
I searched something like "White poofball with red spots on tree" and I'll be darned if it didn't spit out some pics that were pretty close.
I grew up with card catalogs. This stuff still amazes me.  ffcheesy
Title: Re: I Can't Believe The Gall!!!!
Post by: SwampDonkey on May 03, 2024, 06:22:48 AM
Looks like a gall. The insect injects a growth hormone into a vegetative bud and causes some crazy growth that becomes host to the larva. I see galls all over white spruce tips, look like funky cones, but it's injected into a vegetative bud, not a flower bud.
Title: Re: I Can't Believe The Gall!!!!
Post by: Jeff on May 03, 2024, 08:36:30 AM
I find galls quite regular here in red oak country