We've lived in East Bethe... - Ask Extension
We've lived in East Bethel for seven years, where we have various oak trees. Two red oaks are by our patio and deck, and this year they aren't droppin...
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We've lived in East Bethe... #154741
Asked September 27, 2013, 8:16 PM EDT
We've lived in East Bethel for seven years, where we have various oak trees. Two red oaks are by our patio and deck, and this year they aren't dropping many acorns, but we're finding tiny (pea-size), orangey-white, fuzzy (like velour) balls/seeds. The inside is hard and brownish when dried; the outside is very puffy and soft. Are these immature acorns? I've never noticed anything like this before. They might not even be coming from the oak trees, but these oaks are the only large trees near the area where we're finding the mystery balls. This started this week (September 23, 2013). Thanks for any help identifying these.
Anoka County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hi,
Do you see any of these on the trees themselves or just on the ground? Would it be possible for you to upload a photo of these?
Hi,
I have been thinking about your question. I believe these fuzzy orgne-white balls may be some kind of oak galls (caused by insects). Take a look at this information and see if this sounds familiar.http://www1.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/insect-and-mite-galls/
I also read an article about galls that I am excerpting here. The good news is that you probably don't need to do anything to treat the affected trees:
Insect Galls by Dotty Woodson:
Galls are abnormal swellings of plant tissue on leaves, twigs, trunks or roots induced by insects, bacteria, fungi, mites and nematodes. The most commonly observed galls in urban areas are insect induced galls. Some types of wasps, mites, moths, caterpillars, beetles, flies, and aphids cause many different types of galls. Most gall provide food and shelter for the larval and pupal stage of the insects. Each insect gall has a characteristic size, shape and color. Insect galls form when insect eggs are deposited in host plant tissue or when the eggs hatch and larvae feed on the plant. The growth is a reaction of chemicals from insect glands and the plant. After a brief period of cell growth, gall development stops completely. The insect lives in the gall and feeds on gall tissue during development. Insect induced galls are considered harmless to growth and development of most plants. No treatment is usually required. Some years a tree will have many galls and some years the same tree will have very few. Oak trees have the most numerous types of galls. Of the 800 species of cynipid or gall inducing wasps in North America, 731 appear oak trees. These wasps are so tiny and harmless; few will ever see the wasp. The wasp existence is usually only evident by the gall. Oak tree galls vary in size, shape, texture and color. Oak tree galls are found on leaves, leaf veins, twigs, stem, flowers, acorns and buds. Often several different galls appear on the same tree. Many find the hard marble size mealy oak gall on twigs. If the insect has pupated and left the gall, there is a tiny round hole in the gall. If the larva is still in the gall, cut the gall open to see the tiny worm-like larva. Other common galls on oaks are found on the underside of the leaves, hard red galls, fuzzy yellow galls and leaf vein galls. The majority of insect galls do little or no damage to healthy trees so no treatment is necessary. The tiny gall forming insects are not a pest and go unnoticed until the gall is grown. Many of you will not notice the galls unless there is a large amount.
I have been thinking about your question. I believe these fuzzy orgne-white balls may be some kind of oak galls (caused by insects). Take a look at this information and see if this sounds familiar.http://www1.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/insect-and-mite-galls/
I also read an article about galls that I am excerpting here. The good news is that you probably don't need to do anything to treat the affected trees:
Insect Galls by Dotty Woodson:
Galls are abnormal swellings of plant tissue on leaves, twigs, trunks or roots induced by insects, bacteria, fungi, mites and nematodes. The most commonly observed galls in urban areas are insect induced galls. Some types of wasps, mites, moths, caterpillars, beetles, flies, and aphids cause many different types of galls. Most gall provide food and shelter for the larval and pupal stage of the insects. Each insect gall has a characteristic size, shape and color. Insect galls form when insect eggs are deposited in host plant tissue or when the eggs hatch and larvae feed on the plant. The growth is a reaction of chemicals from insect glands and the plant. After a brief period of cell growth, gall development stops completely. The insect lives in the gall and feeds on gall tissue during development. Insect induced galls are considered harmless to growth and development of most plants. No treatment is usually required. Some years a tree will have many galls and some years the same tree will have very few. Oak trees have the most numerous types of galls. Of the 800 species of cynipid or gall inducing wasps in North America, 731 appear oak trees. These wasps are so tiny and harmless; few will ever see the wasp. The wasp existence is usually only evident by the gall. Oak tree galls vary in size, shape, texture and color. Oak tree galls are found on leaves, leaf veins, twigs, stem, flowers, acorns and buds. Often several different galls appear on the same tree. Many find the hard marble size mealy oak gall on twigs. If the insect has pupated and left the gall, there is a tiny round hole in the gall. If the larva is still in the gall, cut the gall open to see the tiny worm-like larva. Other common galls on oaks are found on the underside of the leaves, hard red galls, fuzzy yellow galls and leaf vein galls. The majority of insect galls do little or no damage to healthy trees so no treatment is necessary. The tiny gall forming insects are not a pest and go unnoticed until the gall is grown. Many of you will not notice the galls unless there is a large amount.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your quick replies! I didn't have much of a chance to get outside and look around more thoroughly until Monday. I can't see any of these on the trees, but they're so small, and the trees are very tall. My son saw some fall from one of the trees today, though. I realized that we have had NO acorns falling from the trees this year, and where I see these is in the same area where I usually see acorns.
i'll describe them in detail: they are from 1/2 to 1 cm in diameter,and are very fuzzy and soft of the outside. All come to a small point on one side. When I cut them open, I see that they have the outer layer of "fuzz", then a magenta-colored layer, then a creamy white center, and the very center looks hollow. (This center point is about the size of a needle point; I used a magnifying glass to view it.) I saw no worms--nothing moving! But there was some moisture in the center.
As for the galls, I've seen these on many leaves that have fallen, as well as on some still on the trees, and I've been watching a large (quarter-sized) one that's been hanging from a low branch for a few months now. So while the trees have galls, I think these are something different. They don't look like any of the images in the article, and aren't attached to anything.
I have some camera "challenges" (can't locate the cord to connect it to the computer!), but will try to get a photo with my husband's camera tomorrow. As I searched images online, I couldn't find any that showed an acorn in the process of maturing. I'm wondering if these might be not just immature acorns, but perhaps acorns that are retarded in growth due to the hot/dry period this summer...??
Thanks so much for your interest and help! I enjoy trying to identify things in nature, and appreciate your help with my little mystery!
~Janet Grothe
Thanks for your quick replies! I didn't have much of a chance to get outside and look around more thoroughly until Monday. I can't see any of these on the trees, but they're so small, and the trees are very tall. My son saw some fall from one of the trees today, though. I realized that we have had NO acorns falling from the trees this year, and where I see these is in the same area where I usually see acorns.
i'll describe them in detail: they are from 1/2 to 1 cm in diameter,and are very fuzzy and soft of the outside. All come to a small point on one side. When I cut them open, I see that they have the outer layer of "fuzz", then a magenta-colored layer, then a creamy white center, and the very center looks hollow. (This center point is about the size of a needle point; I used a magnifying glass to view it.) I saw no worms--nothing moving! But there was some moisture in the center.
As for the galls, I've seen these on many leaves that have fallen, as well as on some still on the trees, and I've been watching a large (quarter-sized) one that's been hanging from a low branch for a few months now. So while the trees have galls, I think these are something different. They don't look like any of the images in the article, and aren't attached to anything.
I have some camera "challenges" (can't locate the cord to connect it to the computer!), but will try to get a photo with my husband's camera tomorrow. As I searched images online, I couldn't find any that showed an acorn in the process of maturing. I'm wondering if these might be not just immature acorns, but perhaps acorns that are retarded in growth due to the hot/dry period this summer...??
Thanks so much for your interest and help! I enjoy trying to identify things in nature, and appreciate your help with my little mystery!
~Janet Grothe
Hi Janet,
I don't think they are immature acorns, but a picture will help tremendously. In the meantime, I will circulate your description to other Master Gardeners - most of whom are much smarter than I!
I don't think they are immature acorns, but a picture will help tremendously. In the meantime, I will circulate your description to other Master Gardeners - most of whom are much smarter than I!
Hi Susan,
I have an update, but no photo yet. Today I looked very thoroughly at some low, reachable branches. I was able to pull a leaf off with one on its topside, attached with some kind of silk. This attachment spot is where they get their point. Then I found a leaf that had five individuals together in one roundish cluster on the underside of the leaf. The topside of this same leaf has several brown galls on it. I don't think they're acorns anymore! :) But I wonder if a gall usually attaches to the leaf without affecting it, as these seem to be. They're sitting on the leaves rather that becoming part of it, as most galls seem to do. A gall does seem to be the best explanation, but after seeing the silk holding the single one, I wonder about an insect/worm.
Thanks again for your interest and help!
~Janet
I have an update, but no photo yet. Today I looked very thoroughly at some low, reachable branches. I was able to pull a leaf off with one on its topside, attached with some kind of silk. This attachment spot is where they get their point. Then I found a leaf that had five individuals together in one roundish cluster on the underside of the leaf. The topside of this same leaf has several brown galls on it. I don't think they're acorns anymore! :) But I wonder if a gall usually attaches to the leaf without affecting it, as these seem to be. They're sitting on the leaves rather that becoming part of it, as most galls seem to do. A gall does seem to be the best explanation, but after seeing the silk holding the single one, I wonder about an insect/worm.
Thanks again for your interest and help!
~Janet
Here is a photo, which is from a phone, so the quality isn't very good. You can see I split open a few to see the inside.The one on the far left was actually hard and brown with specks on the outside. They aren't as dark as they show in the photo.
Hi Janet,
Oh yes, these are galls of some sort. You're most likely right about the insect. Galls are usually the result of insect activity, and not all galls are the same, so the fact that these don't seem to have "invaded" the leaf doesn't preclude them as galls. They may show up again next year, maybe not. They are very interesting (and sort of creepy), aren't they?
Thanks for sharing. I learned quite a bit researching this!
Oh yes, these are galls of some sort. You're most likely right about the insect. Galls are usually the result of insect activity, and not all galls are the same, so the fact that these don't seem to have "invaded" the leaf doesn't preclude them as galls. They may show up again next year, maybe not. They are very interesting (and sort of creepy), aren't they?
Thanks for sharing. I learned quite a bit researching this!
Thanks for your interest and help, Susan. Yes, they do seem a bit creepy, when I think about what kind of little critter made these, and how there are so many scattered in our grass now!! But I think they're probably harmless, and they gave me something interesting to investigate. Thanks again!
~Janet
~Janet
From everything I've read, these types are harmless. Enjoy the Fall while it lasts!
