Deformed Acorns

[Cheryl]

Has anyone else noticed these. I have seen a few in previous years but have noticed a lot more this year.


Sorry about the focus on this picture but hopefully you get the general idea.

I have googled it and apparently it is a "knopper gall" and is nothing to panic about

Do any of you know anything about these?

[thunder]

Yes, looks like a Knopper Gall, cause by the tiny gall wasp Andricus quercuscalicis.
Can affect a high proportion of acorns in one year, and almost none the next. Seems unlikely that it will pose any threat to the future of the oak, since most acorns are destined to be food for something raher than turning into trees. A fairly recent colonist of these shores!

henrya

[naturegirl]

Originally Posted by thunder

Yes, looks like a Knopper Gall, cause by the tiny gall wasp Andricus quercuscalicis.
Can affect a high proportion of acorns in one year, and almost none the next. Seems unlikely that it will pose any threat to the future of the oak, since most acorns are destined to be food for something raher than turning into trees. A fairly recent colonist of these shores!

henrya

Yet another new colonist?

I wonder how good this one will actually be?

Is this the end of the Mighty Oak????????

Naturegirl

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by naturegirl

Yet another new colonist?

I wonder how good this one will actually be?

Is this the end of the Mighty Oak????????

Naturegirl

Not that new a colonist, it's been around at least 30 years + at the time alarm bells went off, but doesn't seem to have caused any big problems.

It needs the alien Turkey Oak to complete it's life cycle.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Not that new a colonist, it's been around at least 30 years + at the time alarm bells went off, but doesn't seem to have caused any big problems.

It needs the alien Turkey Oak to complete it's life cycle.

Anything that has happened in my lifetime is "fairly recent" to me!

First recognised in Britain on 20 August 1961 in Northamptonshire.

Even when galled, some acorns will germinate.

I repeat my previous remark - "Seems unlikely that it will pose any threat to the future of the oak"

henrya

[leifus]

knopper gall

[Dogghound]

Yes this is the asexual gall, the bisexual gall is found on turkey oak catkins.