Trying to identify something on a maple - Ask Extension
I’ve got a small (20’) volunteer maple that came up maybe 5-6 years ago. I have 2 questions. First, are you able to identify the specific type of ...
Knowledgebase
Trying to identify something on a maple #873030
Asked June 13, 2024, 6:30 PM EDT
I’ve got a small (20’) volunteer maple that came up maybe 5-6 years ago. I have 2 questions. First, are you able to identify the specific type of maple? And second, while I was trimming some small branches low on the trunk, I found hundreds of what I think might be eggs of some kind on the tops (not the bottoms) of the leaves. Do you have any thought as to what these are, and should I be concerned?
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi and thanks for your question and great pictures of your maple leaves. It looks like you have a Red maple, Sugar maple or Silver maple because those are the species that get gall mites, the red "eggs" you found. I'm leaning toward Red maple and if you crush a twig it will not emit a rank odor as does the silver maple. You will need to send pictures of the seeds, whole tree, bark and both sides of a good leaf to get a more accurate identification.
As to the gall mites, they are a part of nature and you are lucky to get to see them, or their galls at least. They are too small to be seen without magnification but feed on the leaf tissue emitting a chemical that causes the leaf to grow these galls around them. This protects them and they remain within the galls, feeding on the gall tissue until they have matured into adults, usually within a few weeks. Then they exit through an opening on the underside of the leaf to crawl to newly developing leaves and begin the cycle again. Once the tree has stopped new growth, usually in early summer, the mites are unable to stimulate the abnormal growth to produce the galls. At this time they head for the trunk and branches to overwinter in roughened areas on the bark, bud scales, or other protected places.
They seldom cause damage to mature trees and their populations go up between years related to weather. If you are concerned, you can remove the affected leaves but the galls have already formed to protect the mites, so sprays will not be effective.
https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/nurspest/mites/maple-bladder-gall-mite
Thanks for sharing this fascinating creature with me!
As to the gall mites, they are a part of nature and you are lucky to get to see them, or their galls at least. They are too small to be seen without magnification but feed on the leaf tissue emitting a chemical that causes the leaf to grow these galls around them. This protects them and they remain within the galls, feeding on the gall tissue until they have matured into adults, usually within a few weeks. Then they exit through an opening on the underside of the leaf to crawl to newly developing leaves and begin the cycle again. Once the tree has stopped new growth, usually in early summer, the mites are unable to stimulate the abnormal growth to produce the galls. At this time they head for the trunk and branches to overwinter in roughened areas on the bark, bud scales, or other protected places.
They seldom cause damage to mature trees and their populations go up between years related to weather. If you are concerned, you can remove the affected leaves but the galls have already formed to protect the mites, so sprays will not be effective.
https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/nurspest/mites/maple-bladder-gall-mite
Thanks for sharing this fascinating creature with me!