—S— > Outdoors | TheReview Wednesday, January 15, 1992 — A23 Gall insect creates ‘oak apples’ With the advent of winter and the showering of myriads golden leaves upon an otherwise somber earth, the outdoors reveals a num- ber of its formerly hidden secrets. While hiking a fine “Nyland trail’ in John Dean Park this week, I met a fellow hiker with a speci- men and a question. He held a Garry oak leaf in his hand and held it up. “Would you by any chance hap- pen to know what the rounded bumps on this leaf are all about? At first I thought that they were acoms. Are they?” “No, they are oak apples.” “But this is an oak leaf, no?” “Yes, it is.” “But apples on an oak leaf? You're kidding.” ; “They're not really apples, of course. They are called apples because of their rounded, apple- like shape.” “What are they then?” “They are the homes of a partic- ular kind of insect. A gall insect that grows up inside the ‘apple’ which is actually a gall. When you get home, cut it open with a sharp knife and you should find the tiny larva inside.” “But why would an oak tree grow things like this? Did you say galls?” OAK ‘APPLE’ GALLS CY HAMPSON photo Too laie for community auditorium It’s too late to plan a community auditorium at Stelly’s Secondary school as a joint municipal-district venture, but the auditorium planned for the school will be able to be used by the community, trustees said Monday night. Trustees received requests from Central Saanich council and from the Brentwood Parents Advisory Council to discuss a 1,000 seat auditorium as a joint venture to be included with the present Stelly’s Secondary upgrade. Trustee Peter Shewring noted two public meetings were held at _Stelly’s Secondary last year to invite input on the school design. Few people attended either meeting, Shewring said, although the school district sent 2,000 invi- tations. Planning for the school had to go ahead to stay on schedule, Shewring said. “Tt is unfortunate this comes at this late date.” Trustee Anne Johnston said any delay in completing the project could cost the district the required provincial funding. Glen Meadows Country Club Newly Renovated Banquet Hall and Dining room. Perfect for Weddings, Luncheons. Open daily for Luneéh. Beautiful View, Reasonable Prices 1050 McTavish Rd. 656-3136 | At Monday’s meeting, trustees received a letter from Education Minister Anita Hagen predicting a provincial deficit of $2 billion and limited funding for capital pro- jects. Plant superintendent Hans Schneider said the Stelly’s upgrade will cost just under $10 million. He hopes the project will go to tender by the end of May and be underway before any capital spending cuts are implemented by the province. “We don’t want to get cut off at the knees,” he said. Johnston said the upgrade includes a separate performing arts area which can be closed off from the rest of the school and therefore used by the public. In addition to classroom space, Schneider said the upgrade also includes a modified all-weather field. “Yes, the adult insect lays her eggs upon oak leaves. When they hatch, the larva burrows into the leaf, secreting a fluid which im- tates the leaf tissues causing the growth of these deformities. They grow around the little grub.” “What does the little guy live on then ?” : “Tt consumes the pith and juices growing in the walls of its tempo- rary prison inside the gall.” “Then the oak supplies the little beggar with both a protective home and a fresh supply of food. A bird couldn’t pick him off inside a cell like that!” “Right.” “Holy Smokes!. Are there any other kinds of galls, then ?” “Many thousands. When you get near the end of this trail, on the right hand side, you will see a stand of willows. Check them for swellings at the ends of some of the twigs. They are quite large and covered with brown scales. They are called willow pine galls.” “Pine galls?” “Yes, they look very much like pine or spruce cones. They are galls, too, and are produced in much the same way. Check a patch or two of wild roses. Their stems often sport rounded or elongated galls on their stems. Look for tiny holes in the surface. These are the escape holes used by these gall- flies in their escape once they have grown up.” “Do the galls injure the plants which support them?” “Not usually. But there are galls which develop upon cotton, clover and wheat in great numbers. They are very harmful and may ruin much of the crop. They may also deform some flowering plants and trees.” “Most of them are produced by flies?” “Flies, gnats and the odd wasp, like this one. But one of our commonest is produced by a moth. Look for it on the stems of golden- rod. This gall is quite large and elongated. When larvae, they have biting and chewing mouth parts but as adults, they can only suck with the long tongue. They must emerge from inside the gall as adults. How then do they chew their way out’’? “T pass.” “They chew out a tunnel to the surface and then plug it with silk before they pupate. Then they have only to push out the ‘cork’ in the spring and fly away.” “Well, I'll be a monkey’s uncle!” “Yes, looking at you more closely, I think you’d pass.” la MUFFET & LOUISA | INENS GS Selected Bed Linens 0 Yo off 2385 Beacon Avenue Sidney, B.C. 656-0022 S -) La-Z-Boy Recliners Choose from the largest selection \ of La-Z-Boy reclina-rockers and reclina-way chairs on Vancouver Island. Hundreds in stock. Lifetime warranty on frame and mechanism. Sale Priced From *397.°° (As shown — choice of 3 colours) CAM OlnEREE bole of af g FREE DELIVERY 1-800-667-1314 FREE parkt AS FAR AS. 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