Favoritos de norikonbu

On coast live oak. I think these are galls - but I suppose they could be new growth. [edit: they are in fact galls]. However, they don't look like buds I'm familiar with, and I only found these on one tree [edit: after multiple re-visits, I found these on two trees]. This tree had a couple old Amphibolips quercuspomiformis, but the spring form of that gall is entirely different than this.

See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148539708 for what may be old forms of this gall, found nearby on the same tree.

See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148848266 for dissected gall

Separate observation for the winter ants:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148539707

These look like they want to be C. douglasii but seem too thin walled at top and too stalky at the bottom. Similar looking observations: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/136453193 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/142877075

Stem galls found on trees that also had the n-densiflorus-tanoak-fuzzy-gall on leaves. Pulling both apart revealed identical gall structures and identical larvae. The larval chambers seemed typical for a lot of midge galls, being small "pockets" in the gall tissue which aren't actually sealed shut, and can be easily opened along the seam.

Russo's "Flange Gall" (2021, p128). On Q. douglasii. Most of these seem early stage to me, without the points at the base. This is the earliest I've seen any of the galls; previous observations were in Aug, Sep, and Oct. There is an insect next to the oldest gall. I can't tell what it is (no great photos), but I put together the "best" shots in the third photo.

These are more recent photos of this observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/77834290. Several leaves, plus a better view of the habit. The photo of the trunk was taken on 28 Apr 2022, but I thought it might be helpful. I have no photos of any parts of the acorn.

@merav @nancyasquith @garth_harwood @megachile Do you guys know of a cone gall on Chamise? @chyroptera and I found about half a dozen of these in various stages, with a clear chamber when split open.

I was surprised to notice what appeared to be several fresh galls of varying growth patterns on my backyard Frangula californica.

Part of my surprise is the timing. It is early for flowering and especially fruiting. When I looked at the bush today I only found one flower bud on a bush that is approximately 2 meters x 2 meters. Yet there were 7 apparent galls of varying forms. I am moderately-to-highly confident that these galls did not exist in November.

This gall looks a bit like a possible fruit gall previously reported here:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95882473

But it is lacking the pointy appendage (which was visible on some other galls today).

It looks like there was a single puparium (or is it two?) inside.

This is distinct from the spring flower gall that has multiple larvae inside, as seen here:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/78310668