The succulent oak gall on pin oak in Kansas is caused by which organism?

The succulent oak gall on pin oak in Kansas is caused by which organism?

• A. A tiny wasp
• B. A fungus
• C. A mite
• D. A moth

Answer: (A)

Oak galls like the succulent gall on pin oak form because a tiny wasp lays eggs in developing oak tissue. The wasp’s egg and its secretions trigger the tree to grow a fleshy, protective ball around the developing larva, creating the gall you see. That makes a gall wasp the right organism here. Fungus infections produce different disease symptoms, mites create other types of galls such as erineum on leaves, and moths don’t typically cause this kind of succulent oak gall on pin oaks in Kansas. So the responsible organism is the tiny wasp.

Oak galls like the succulent gall on pin oak form because a tiny wasp lays eggs in developing oak tissue. The wasp’s egg and its secretions trigger the tree to grow a fleshy, protective ball around the developing larva, creating the gall you see. That makes a gall wasp the right organism here. Fungus infections produce different disease symptoms, mites create other types of galls such as erineum on leaves, and moths don’t typically cause this kind of succulent oak gall on pin oaks in Kansas. So the responsible organism is the tiny wasp.