This came from one of the trees next to my house- I'm wondering what it is? What kind of tree it came from? Can I eat it?(haha)
It is about the size of a grape, a few of the ones we found are bright red, some are a darker red, they all have white dots covering them also.
I can get more pictures of the tree later if it helps.
http://img541.imageshack.us/i/pic1nl.jpg/
http://img196.imageshack.us/i/pic2ku.jpg/
Thanks!
Sure looks like a gall that usually derives from insect interaction with trees.
More photos are always good. Show the whole tree, closeups of the spheres that are still attached to the plant, and some clearer images of the ones that have fallen.
You probably can eat them - but I wouldn't vouch for the flavor or the results thereof...
What you've shown are typical of some galls formed by certain wasps laying their eggs on oak species, and the life cycle relationship of the maturing larvae interacting with the tree.
Ohhhh ok. I'll post more pictures in a couple of days.
Is it anything to be worried about???
Typically, on a mature tree these are just aesthetic consequences of the natural cycles of life. Not to worry.
These are definitely galls. Mine come from my red oak tree or possibly from some unidentified trees in my neighbor's yard. My understanding is that they are not harmful to the tree. I wouldn't even try to eat one unless I found scientific evidence / facts that would tell me whether this type of gall is poisonous to humans. Seems that I read that birds like them, but don't trust me on that.
