Oak Gall Wasp
12x12" (includes black wood frame, 14x14")
SOLD
This tiny non-stinging wasp, of the Cynipidae family, is only ¼” long, and spends her life in tree canopies. Her nesting habit is the cause of those round protruding galls found on many kinds of plant leaves and stems, including Oaks. The galls arise from the larvae, which secrete a hormone that stimulates the production of cells. They can then burrow and feed from the newly created mass of nutrients. There are all kinds of galls, in different sizes and textures, each unique to a particular species of wasp. To some humans, these galls are unsightly and worrisome, but in reality, they are relatively harmless to the plant.
Fun fact about these galls: since they are rich in tannins, they have been harvested to make black and blue dyes and inks. To highlight this feature, I've added a quote from Wikipedia: "The earliest recipes for oak gall ink come from Pliny the Elder and are vague at best".
In this piece I’ve opened up one such gall (centre) so you can see the spongy interior and the tiny larva curled in the middle.
12x12" (includes black wood frame, 14x14")
SOLD
This tiny non-stinging wasp, of the Cynipidae family, is only ¼” long, and spends her life in tree canopies. Her nesting habit is the cause of those round protruding galls found on many kinds of plant leaves and stems, including Oaks. The galls arise from the larvae, which secrete a hormone that stimulates the production of cells. They can then burrow and feed from the newly created mass of nutrients. There are all kinds of galls, in different sizes and textures, each unique to a particular species of wasp. To some humans, these galls are unsightly and worrisome, but in reality, they are relatively harmless to the plant.
Fun fact about these galls: since they are rich in tannins, they have been harvested to make black and blue dyes and inks. To highlight this feature, I've added a quote from Wikipedia: "The earliest recipes for oak gall ink come from Pliny the Elder and are vague at best".
In this piece I’ve opened up one such gall (centre) so you can see the spongy interior and the tiny larva curled in the middle.
12x12" (includes black wood frame, 14x14")
SOLD
This tiny non-stinging wasp, of the Cynipidae family, is only ¼” long, and spends her life in tree canopies. Her nesting habit is the cause of those round protruding galls found on many kinds of plant leaves and stems, including Oaks. The galls arise from the larvae, which secrete a hormone that stimulates the production of cells. They can then burrow and feed from the newly created mass of nutrients. There are all kinds of galls, in different sizes and textures, each unique to a particular species of wasp. To some humans, these galls are unsightly and worrisome, but in reality, they are relatively harmless to the plant.
Fun fact about these galls: since they are rich in tannins, they have been harvested to make black and blue dyes and inks. To highlight this feature, I've added a quote from Wikipedia: "The earliest recipes for oak gall ink come from Pliny the Elder and are vague at best".
In this piece I’ve opened up one such gall (centre) so you can see the spongy interior and the tiny larva curled in the middle.