What are these spikey attachments to leaves of "Dwarf Woodland Rose" (I think). Are they part of the plant or parasitic ?? I am including several photos to help identify.
To deter preditors and to protect the insect inside the gall? I wonder also if, as the insect uses tissue from the plant to form its gall, the thorns are also only specific to host plants which normally produce thorns? I'm trying to remember if other galls I've seen on oaks etc have thorns.Margaret
I found this on gardenweb's rose forum's FAQ... These orange, moss-covered looking growths appear on rose leaves in June and July and are caused by the gall wasp. Each is a mass of cells which contain one gall wasp larvae which will hatch in the spring. Gall wasps like to eat aphids. They don't do any harm and can be cut off. I guess it might be a good thing?? Helen
