merav's Favorites

Under the impression that these 5 separate observations are possibly the same things.
Firm to the touch and attached to the leaf on each.
(Did not collect)

March 13th https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108590817
March 18th https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109054703
March 21st https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109183721
March 26th https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109778344
March 31st https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110104458

I was surprised to notice what appeared to be several fresh galls of varying growth patterns on my backyard Frangula californica.

Part of my surprise is the timing. It is early for flowering and especially fruiting. When I looked at the bush today I only found one flower bud on a bush that is approximately 2 meters x 2 meters. Yet there were 7 apparent galls of varying forms. I am moderately-to-highly confident that these galls did not exist in November.

This gall looks a bit like a possible fruit gall previously reported here:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95882473

But it is lacking the pointy appendage (which was visible on some other galls today).

It looks like there was a single puparium (or is it two?) inside.

This is distinct from the spring flower gall that has multiple larvae inside, as seen here:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/78310668

Some sort of black cottonwood pest, this is an update to a gall I saw a week or two ago. Those galls have turned into holes in the leaves (last 4 pics). This time I found new faded spots on the top of the leaves, no bump or gall yet, but under those bumps is an exposed larva of some type. Does it burrow in and form a gall?

Original observation of the last 4 pics - http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92533568