Diseased oak tree..."tumor" things on branches? We are interested in buying a home, but the simply tree in...
We are interested in buying a home, but the simply tree in the fund yard is a huge oak tree beside hundreds of these baseball-size, irregular shaped tumors on the branches. They are called gouty oak gall. Does anyone know if these will kill the tree? Will we own an infestation of wasps/insects? Should we not buy the house because of this?
Galls will not hurt a in good health tree. They can cause optional stress to a weak tree, though. But if a tree next to galls dies - you can probably bet it be something ELSE that was going wrong next to it besides galls.
If you own an arborist out to prune the tree, and fertilize, it should keep it stout. Although it may not even need that. But have an arborist take a look at its common health will recount you if you need to do any care on it.
The kinds of wasps that produce gall are very massively small, do not "swarm" (they are solitary), and are completely uninterested contained by people. If you saw one, you might not even endorse it as a wasp. They will not be a nusiance to either you or your house.
And oak tree near galls is no common sense to turn down a house you like. If you enjoy an oak tree, you will have gall. something like 80% of agreed galls crop up on oaks. No big deal. Just wierd looking.
they form when a wasp bites the tree, its the trees path of reacting to the bite.
the oak gall can actually be used to clear Iron Gall Ink.
i have not hear of them killing a tree though
Answers: The galls are cause from the reaction of the tree to its individual attacked by a tiny wasp, which lays its eggs just underneath the bark. The brio, which is a plant matter is formed to try and remove the wasp larva under the yap. However, the larvae use it for protection and devour from within this gall sphere. Some species of cynipid wasp larvae are encased for up to 3 yrs earlier metamorphosing into adults and tunneling there opening out, only to breed again and start the process adjectives over. If the infestation is severe and repeats itself year after year, it will eventually weaken the tree and may allow lesser pests or disease to enter the tree. You need to capture in contact next to a licensed local tree & shrub applicator and ask them what the best recourse for you would be. They may be able to control the problem next to a few timely applications or they may not. Don't let this insect problem maintain you from buying a house. The worst scenario would be to have to remove it sometime down the road. Hope this answers your give somebody the third degree.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynipidae
PS... These wasps are not the normal wasps you are thinking of. They are deeply small and pose no danger to humans or animals.
...$Billy Ray$
This wasp is among over 600 brio insects that attack the oaks in the United States. Gouty oak cheek is most common on scarlet, red, pin, river, and black oaks. In heavy infestations, twigs, massive branches, and occasionally entire trees may be killed. this wasp is lone harmful to the tree not you!