Udderly Confused

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:32 pm

Well they look like tiny "udders."

Maybe an insect egg of some kind. Found them on the underside of a Hickory leaf.

A bit overexposed in bright sunlight, plus I had forgotten that my flash was still on. Canon PowerShot G7. I was in a bit of a hurry anyway, I had to get back to work so I grabbed the shot an ran...yeah that's it

...I grabbed the shot and ran.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:49 pm

Ken I've seen almost identical thingies growing on the top surface of a large lime tree (didn't think to look underneath the leaves). I've got some pics somewhere - I'll go and look see.

Would love to know what they are.

Bruce

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:51 pm

It would be nice to find out there Bruce. I have did some looking around but have not come up with anything even closely resembling them. Post your images in this thread if you like, when you find them.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:12 pm

Thanks Ken. Well I had to go back to May 2004.....

As I said these thingies are growing on a lime and they turn up every year.

Bruce

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:52 pm

Curious little things Bruce.

I wonder, could they be a fungi of some sort? This is the first time I have ever seen them, so I would hope that I do not forget and look for them next year, since as you mentioned, they keep returning every year.

Yours are very similar in shape, though the colors between yours and mine are quite different. It could be that mine are in a much later stage of development since they are dark looking, as yours are more of a pinkish coloration, which I would think denotes an earlier stage in life.

Well, anyway they are quite interesting to see Bruce and thanks.

Maybe some of our other members may know what they are or have an idea that will lead to a correct identification.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:42 pm

A lot of things that look like this are galls -- plant growths stimulated by some chemical produced by an insect, typically to provide a place for larvae to grow up.

These particular ones, who knows?

Nice pictures, in any case.

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:18 pm

You know I did some more snooping around and found out that in a previous post, the big yellow and black stripped beetle that I thought was a long horned flower beetle, is in all actuallity a "locust borer," that I found atop Roan Mountain, Tenn. But, what I am now suspecting, is that I have found some type of "leaf borer larvae" and that Bruce may have the same. I found something similar after searching many pages in Google Images, though not quite the same in size as presented here, the ones I did find on Google were vaugly similar. So, who knows, could be...

salden · Post by **salden** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:18 pm

Bruce - I am not positive, but search on Lime nail gall mite (Eriophyes tiliae).

Ken - I have not a clue

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:42 pm

Imagine having those pop out on your skin.....hummm, would make a good SiFi show.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:17 pm

Seems here of late Doug, we are finding a lot of things that just pop up out of somethings skin, luckly not ours. Thanks

I took a look at your suggestion Sue and it appears as though you are probably on the right track as to it being mites, thanks