Gall wasps

[coolbrze]

There was an article in our local paper re: gall wasps threatening many White Oaks in our area. How bad are these wasps for the trees? Do they affect Hickory & other types of Oaks also or just White Oaks? The article favored that a year of GWs won't hurt the trees but several years in a row & it can do damage to already stressed trees. Article below, any info is greatly appreciated.

http://www.dof.virginia.gov/press/releases/2014/08-11-white-oak-galls.htm

 

[Raintree]

In all my years of Arborculture I have yet to intervene with chemical controls for leaf galls. Maintain proper tree health & you should be GTG.

Outbreaks of this particular gall wasp are not very common, according to Dr. Asaro, but they have occurred before in this area. Typically, gall outbreaks are short-term in nature, and gall wasp populations soon crash on their own after a year or two due to natural predation by other insect species.