sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

We have wild grape vines that grow on our old kennel building and they always get galls on their leaves this time of year which are caused by "Grape Phylloxera". The Grape Phylloxera is a native sucking insect that's related to aphids. It has a complex life cycle that involves both root forms as well as foliage forms such as in my picture of one of our leaves.

The root forms are hidden beneath the soil where they use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to draw juices from the roots and to inject toxins that prevent roots from healing. They are a real pain-in-the-butt to those that depend on grape vineyards for their livelihoods.

This is a 5x magnification view that I staged to show what these galls look at when viewed under magnification.

(Download)

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Very good! Well, not so good for the grape plants. Galls are weird. All sorts of shapes and sizes and causes.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, Mark. I'm always looking for opportunities and these caught my eye.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

A haul I had not read about. Very interesting narrative Gary. Nice shots of it.
Doc

tinusbum Loc: east texas

This is a 5x magnification view that I staged to show what these galls look at when viewed under magnification.[/quote]

i was just wondering what those galls look like when viewed under magnification you did a great job showing it!!!!!!!!

merrytexan Loc: georgia

gally...that is an awesome closeup , sippy!! great job as always!

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, this is what our wild grape vine leaves look like with all the galls on them.

(Download)

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, Doc. I've yet to catch one of the little critters on the leaves and of course never one in the root system.