What's growing on my rosebush?

It's my mother's rosebush, actually. But she's 78 and told ME, her grouchy son, to "find out what's growing on my rosebush" by going on the internet. [This is the point in the discussion where I would begin complaining, but I'll leave that part out. ;) ]

She's concerned about the "nodules" growing on her rosebush. They're about an inch or more long, and have tiny holes in them that look like ants ought to be streaming in and out. I took some photos. Apart from that, I know nothing...er, except that I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Here's a long shot, so you can get an idea of the size of the rosebush:



Next, a closer image. Hopefully the "nodules" will come out clearly. The bush has dozens of them, all over it.



And finally, a closeup, showing a few of these "nodules."



For the record, I don't even know what type of rosebush she has. It's gotta be getting close to 40 years old by now, though, because I remember how I used to fall on it when I was a kid.

Any help at all will be muchly appreciated. :)

 

It is either a bacterial nodule, due to Agrobacterium tumefaciens (see here --> http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research/groups/jdeacon/microbes/crown.htm ) or a gall made by wasps to grow their larvae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplolepis)

Since it lives in the ground, Agrobacterium usually produces galls at the crown or on roots..but can also produce some on branches.
However, they seem to be "holes" in these ones, so I would rather say they are caused by insects.
You could try to open one, and see if you find larvae (I have to admit it's a bit disgusting!)

 

Ooh! I like disgusting! Now we're talkin'.

Thanks.

 

The closeup in the first post shows insect galls.

 

Thanks.

I've passed that along to her, and asked her to cut one open to see what was inside, but she's waiting for me to go over and do it.

Then she'll make me eat a pie or something. She's always making me eat pies.... :( It wouldn't be so bad, if she'd just put some sugar in the damn pies! Rhubarb pies without sugar -- ugh. I'm getting acid reflux just thinking about it.

 

Nevermind the fat in the crust.