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Callirhytis quercusagrifoliae
Small, bright, green wasp gall that resembles a small apple.
Coast Live Oak
Spotted on Nov 4, 2013
Submitted on Nov 5, 2013
2 Comments
Good question, mcaul6515. This is an abnormal part of the Oak tree that has grown after a gall wasp injected the twig with a chemical and eggs. The larvae grow inside the gall, feeding on the plant material inside and stay protected from predators. When they're grown, they exit the gall.
Other galls can be made from types of midges, psyllids, flies and aphids. Different insects choose different plant hosts and the galls look different.
What is that??