Unusual growth on Oak Tree

[D'Animal]

I was mowing today and noticed some unusual growths on the bottoms of the leaves on one of my Oak Trees.

It looks like they start off as very little red gum drop shaped dots.

They grow into bigger red gum drop shaped dots about the size of an eraser on a standard #2 pencil.

Then BAMM! they look like a sea urchin of some sort.

I'm thinking they are a bug egg sack of some sort since the maturity level is consistent to an area.

Might be a fungus as well. I don't know.

There are no chewed leaves.

Any thoughts?

 

[Skillet]

 

[e9999]

how about mine?

now quite as alien looking but red...

 

[jjfj80]

Maybe put a well-infested leaf in a jar and see what hatches.

 

[D'Animal]

Good Idea.

Only two limbs are infested, and they are on the saw (East) side of the tree. They are catching all of the afternoon sun/heat.

 

[e9999]

yours are really neat.

Ask you local ag extension guys?

You may have discovered a new species... Eternal fame!

 

[Ebag333]

Searching Google images for "red star shaped oak leaf fungus OR larva OR insect" turned up this:

Sea Urchin (Gall)

Description: Strange shape formed by the Blue Oak in response to the egg laying of nonstinging Cynipid wasps. Eggs may be laid on leaves or other parts of the tree, and the oak responds by forming this particular color and shape of gall, which in turn protects the larva. In fall, the insect chews its way out.

Looks like they're commonly called Gall Wasp.

Hmm. I'd always wondered what caused those oak potatoes/apples fungus looking things on oak trees. Now I know.

Gall wasp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[splitshot]

Yep, gall wasp.

You get the colorful ones, ours start as green then just look like tan ping-pong balls.

 

[MTNRAT]

Earbug spores. Best not to let the dog get near em.

 

[ojaij40]

That's NOTHING.....check out the growth on MY tree....

 

[Ebag333]

Oooh, tree brains!

I read about a guy who fried and ate those. Said it was incredibly good.

Not sure if his were the exact same as yours, his were looked at by an expert who said it was safe.