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Re: TH: Silver Maples
Post-To: Tree-House@Majordomo.Flora.Com (Community Forestry) ----------
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Bob,
They are probably the work of gall-forming insects. If I remember my basic
entomology correctly, they use faux plant hormones to *trick* the plant into
making a home for them, ie, the "red ball". They are generally not all that
harmful to the overall health of the tree, but could form a part of a larger
complex of stresses. If you *carefully* cut one open with a razor blade,
you should be able to find a little white insect inside the hollow chamber
of the gall--use a handlens to see it up close.
Best of luck,
Jeremy.
At 10:49 PM 6/1/97 -0400, you wrote:
> Post-To: Tree-House@Majordomo.Flora.Com (Community Forestry) ----------
> -------
>
>I have two silver maples about 5 or 6 years old and every year they get
>little red balls on the leaves. Can anyone tell me what this is and if it
>will harm the trees? The leaves eventually curl up and give a bad appearance
>but other than that there doesn't seem to be any ill effects.
>
>TIA
>
>Bob
>
>
>