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Originally Posted by rangersarah2  Thanks Jason. Would the first sign of the knopper gall wasp be the change in the acorn? How does the wasp that creates an oak apple make it's 'apple', and how does the one that creates a robin's pincushion make that one? |
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Originally Posted by thunder It isn't the insect that lays the egg that 'makes' the galls, but the effect of the egg (possibly) and the developing larvae. I don't think anyone is sure quite how this happens, and why gall shapes are so varied, but presumably the larvae excrete a chemical that provides them with this protection.
henrya |
There are several mechanisms by which galls are formed. Some are caused by the secretion of plant hormones at the time of egg laying, or in the salivary secretions of the developing larvae. Others are caused by mutualistic associations with bacteria or viruses. Some others are galls caused initially by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection and then later colonised by an insect laying its eggs within.