PHOTOS: What These Growths Could Mean for Your New York Tree

While taking my dog for a walk recently at Chadwick Lake Park in the Town of Newburgh, I noticed something weird on the branches or a nearby oak tree. What I learned about them isn't for the faint-of-heart.

While many of the recent changes at Chadwick Lake are man-made (check out the progress on their massive new community center here), the surrounding plants and animals are hard at work as well, including on the oak tree I found by the lake's edge.

Gall Growths on Local New York Trees

I've encountered enough strange growths on local trees to recognize that I was looking at some sort of gall. While some are more extreme than others (have you heard of the "exploding heart" gall?), the growth I saw on the Chadwick Lake oak could be a sign od a specific type of wasp.

Gall Wasps in New York State

After some thorough images searches with the photos I took at the park, it seemed that I had most likely found growths caused by gall wasps; tiny insects that lay eggs inside the tree branches, which cause them to swell and develop the galls seen here (below). But that's just the beginning.

Different Plant Galls in New York

There are many types of galls, and many different animals that cause them, from wild-looking galls with spikes to "bread loaf" galls caused by midge flys (below).

The good news is that while these growths can look strange and even harmful, most galls do not affect the health of the host plant. Speaking of insects and plants, check out some helpful things for your spring garden below.