A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Oak apple is the common name for a large, round, vaguely apple-like gall commonly found on many species of oak. Oak apples range in size from 2-5cm. Oak apples are caused by chemicals injected by the larva of certain kinds of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae.[1] The adult female wasp lays single eggs in developing leaf buds. The larvae feed on the gall tissue resulting from their secretions. Considerable confusion exists in the general 'literature' between the oak apple and oak marble galls. The oak marble is frequently called the oak apple due to the superficial resemblance and the preponderance of the oak marble gall in the wild. I cut it open for a peek inside.
Oak tree in my yard.
Spotted on May 11, 2011
Submitted on May 11, 2011
2 Comments
Great Anna! Just did a search & I believe you are correct! Thanks for the info! Will change my "spotting" now! :)
think this might be an oak apple gall, caused by a wasp which lays eggs in the bud