swelling of twigs in red oak

[capecodtree]

A new client has three favorite oak trees on his property in chatham, ma. When I made the initial sales call the leaves were on the trees and appeared (in the upper canopy) to have wind burn from storms this summer, salt spray off the ocean as well. However when I pruned the trees last week I found alot of twigs swollen and some with small "piercing sucking" holes. My first diagnosis was wasp damage, but there were no text book round or horny galls. I brought samples to a consulting arborist friend of mine who thought scale or some sort of borer. Keep in mind the twigs are swollen along their length by 2 or 3 times. There was a lot of sucker growth and small deadwood in the canopy. Samples are being sent to a lab for diagnosis. any ideas in the meantime?

 

[sgreanbeans]

A new client has three favorite oak trees on his property in chatham, ma. When I made the initial sales call the leaves were on the trees and appeared (in the upper canopy) to have wind burn from storms this summer, salt spray off the ocean as well. However when I pruned the trees last week I found alot of twigs swollen and some with small "piercing sucking" holes. My first diagnosis was wasp damage, but there were no text book round or horny galls. I brought samples to a consulting arborist friend of mine who thought scale or some sort of borer. Keep in mind the twigs are swollen along their length by 2 or 3 times. There was a lot of sucker growth and small deadwood in the canopy. Samples are being sent to a lab for diagnosis. any ideas in the meantime?

I ran into that last year, or something like anyway. JPS ID'ed it for me. Took a pic, sent it and he knew of the top of his head! He is the Yoda of the tree world! I cant remember the name, and that sucks, because I SHOULD remember that stuff! Alzheimer's is a beeyaatch.