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Tuesday 6 October 2009

3 Of - 3

Flip Side Of An Oak Leaf
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Silk Button Spangle Galls

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Caused by a Gall wasp
'Neuroterus numismalis'

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The gall wasp has 2 generations per year. One being sexual and the other agamic (all female, and needs no male to reproduce). The sexual generation causes Blister galls on oak leaves. Whereas the agamic generation causes Silk button galls on the underside of oak leaves. The agamic generation was previously named N. vesicator before it was realized to be two generations of the same species.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was on a blog yesterday (forgot whose it was) that showed different galls than these. I remarked that my white oaks do not have them on any leaves. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing.

KAZ said...

These are beautiful - though I don't suppose the oak is too chuffed.
That agamic thingy sounds just what we feminists have been looking for - but NO FUN at all.

James said...

Very interesting stuff Tom. I've never seen those before.

Gattina said...

What a very special and creative picture ! the sick leaves look almost beautiful !

Thank you for your kind comment on my paintings !

Anonymous said...

If you can get here, Tom, with or without Jane, we would put somebody who lives here on the floor and you can have their bed.

Tom said...

Cheers Abe.....
Think of all the chatting and laughing we could do then.... trouble is I might like it to much and not want to go back home.... you'd be stuck with me then.. :O)

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Tom: What a neat capture of this unusual occurance.

Rose said...

Very interesting, Tom. I love the colors of the leave and the texture added to it by these galls.

Arija said...

What an interestin post Tom...I stil prefer my oak leaves pristine and gall-less.

Kerri Farley said...

Very interesting...love the beautiful colors in these!