Jumping Oak Gall
A recent submission to the horticulture diagnostic lab was a jar of jumping oak galls. A Hymenoptera lays eggs in the leaf of white oak. when mature in the resulting gall it jumps off the leaf and begins jumping around on the soil surface, coming to rest in a soil crevice where it pupates and emerges in another year. Management is not likely necessary, beyond keeping trees healthy: mulching, watering during dry periods, avoiding injury from lawnmowers and trimmers, and fertilizing in the spring. Unless a tree is already stressed due to disease or drought, jumping oak galls usually do not affect tree health and by the time the damage is noticed, it is too late to begin treatment. Insecticidal sprays are not recommended. 2) Practice good garden sanitation and dispose of fallen leaves to remove sources of disease or pests. Jumping Oak Gall