{"id":8307,"date":"2021-10-24T10:58:12","date_gmt":"2021-10-24T14:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.earthworksjax.com\/?p=8307"},"modified":"2023-05-25T08:57:11","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T08:57:11","slug":"oak_gall_wasps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.earthworksjax.com\/gardencenter\/oak_gall_wasps\/","title":{"rendered":"Oak Gall Wasps or Alien Pods?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
As the oak leaves fall in Northeast Florida, some small round balls on leaf surfaces appear due to oak gall wasps laying eggs and releasing enzymes in the leaf tissue. \u201cAlien pods,\u201d proclaimed Jim Messerfish jokingly as to what they were on an Earth Works Facebook post. \u201cDo not swallow them unless you want a chest-burster. \u201c In fact, they are relatively harmless with over 1400 species of gall wasps that have been identified as targeting oak, hickory, beech, chestnut, maple, elm, citrus, and ornamental trees. There is no universally effective way to get rid of all species of gall wasps while preserving the plant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cMost cynipids (gall wasps) are not considered economic pests,\u201d according to UF\/IFAS<\/a>. \u201cA notable exception is\u00a0Dryocosmus kuriphilus\u00a0Yasumatsu, also called the Asian chestnut gall wasp, which induces galls mostly on leaves and buds of all chestnut species.\u201c Lack of fire in crowded and stressed native forest stands is believed to contribute to increased seasonal infestation rates. Inspecting plants and burning (where appropriate) or removing affected plant material is a standard best management practice for gall wasps.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThere are hundreds of different gall wasp species within the Cynipidae family that infect one or all oak tree species,\u201d according to Nature & Garden<\/a>. \u201cNot all galls result from gall wasp.\u201d Aphids, mites, midges, psyllids, gall flies, fungus, and bacteria can result in galls appearing on leaves, flowers, stems, trunks, and roots.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cIn most situations, no controls have been shown to be effective,\u201d according to the University of California<\/a>. \u201cCertain leaf-galling species may be reduced by insecticides with systemic or translaminar (leaf-penetrating) activity applied in late winter to spring, or by a broad-spectrum, residual insecticide foliar spray timed to coincide with leaf bud break or the early expansion of new leaves. However, gall wasps are unlikely to be well controlled by any single treatment; sometimes insecticide provides no control at all.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cYou might have luck with an imidacloprid application, but otherwise, pull out the dinotefuran (and your wallet),\u201d said Commercial Applicator Joshua Watts on our Facebook post about gall wasps<\/a>. Earth Works recommends Fertilome Tree and Shrub Drench<\/a> with Imidacloprid for oak gall wasps. And remember that good soil conditions, proper planting distance from other plants, and fertilization reduce plant stress and susceptibility to pests and diseases.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Earth Works encourages you to contact us with your lawn and garden questions in Northeast Florida. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center\/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. As the oak leaves fall in Northeast Florida, some small round balls on leaf surfaces appear due to oak gall […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"