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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Gnats, Gall Midges, and March Flies (Bibionomorpha) » Fungus Gnats and Gall Midges (Sciaroidea) » Gall Midges and Wood Midges (Cecidomyiidae) » Gall Midges (Cecidomyiinae) » Cecidomyiidi » Asphondyliini » Polystepha » Unidentified gall on water oak (Polystepha Unidentified gall on water oak)
Photo#8530
Insect Egg Cases? - Polystepha
Copyright © 2004 Lew Scharpf

Insect Egg Cases? - Polystepha
Opelika, Alabama, USA
November 6, 2004
A friend provided this leaf from a water oak tree layered with what appear to be some type of egg cases. The only other option is some type of a leaf gall or fungal growth. Can anyone provide any insights. Thanks.
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Contributed by Lew Scharpf on 9 November, 2004 - 9:15pm
Last updated 18 November, 2015 - 9:47am

Moved
Moved from Gall Wasps.
… Charley Eiseman, 5 December, 2009 - 3:09pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Galls.
… Charley Eiseman, 26 March, 2009 - 1:14am login or register to post comments

 
collecting?
I found an oak leaf today with 21 of these galls. If I collect the leaf will storing it in a plastic container with small air holes be ok? Should I do anything else?
… Kim Fleming, 31 August, 2014 - 2:21pm login or register to post comments

 
I recommend waiting
until later in the fall, in case they're not mature yet--since we know they stay attached until at least November. Once the leaf is dry, it should be safe to collect it... I'm not sure how late water oak holds onto its leaves, but of course you don't want to wait so long that the leaf disappears. When you do collect the leaf, any sealed container will do--or even a ziploc bag. No need for air holes. The more galls you can find, the better the chance of getting some wasps. And definitely hang onto any wasps you get--a specialist will need to examine specimens to figure out what they are.
… Charley Eiseman, 31 August, 2014 - 10:09pm login or register to post comments

 
thanks!
I'll keep an eye on them, wait, then hopefully be able to collect them. Thanks!
… Kim Fleming, 1 September, 2014 - 5:58am login or register to post comments

Galls?
I'd venture that they are galls. Oaks are host to an incredible variety of galls.
… Eric R. Eaton, 11 November, 2004 - 10:37am login or register to post comments

 
darn
I found these same galls today and was hoping to get an ID on them.
… Kim Fleming, 31 August, 2014 - 2:06pm login or register to post comments

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