What rolls up an Oak leaf?

[john gault]

As I was sitting under my Live Oak a rolled up leaf dropped in my lap. As I inspected it, it seemed to have something rolled up in it, kind of looked like a capsule -- yes it was rolled that tight. As I unrolled it I discovered there was nothing inside, it was just simply rolled up, but something had to roll it up, this wasn't a natural condition for the leaf.

Any ideas what rolls things up and why? The only thing I can think of is a squirrel; if so...why

[Kisal]

There are various things that can cause leaf rolling. Some insects and larvae will do it to protect themselves from being seen by predators. Some diseases can cause it. Certain weather conditions can cause it, too.

Photos are a big help to other members, when they are asked to suggest what might be causing a specific symptom in a plant.

[rainbowgardener]

Squirrels do roll leaves up to bring to their nests. This might be about the time they start doing it, it is for winter protection in the nest. I once spent half an hour watching a squirrel carefully rolling up a leaf, carrying it in its mouth to the tree hole it lived in, coming back and doing another one, and so on. It was still doing it when I quit watching. So maybe a squirrel just dropped one of its rolled up leaves. But I'm not sure they roll theirs quite as tightly as you are suggesting.

[john gault]

There are various things that can cause leaf rolling. Some insects and larvae will do it to protect themselves from being seen by predators. Some diseases can cause it. Certain weather conditions can cause it, too.

Photos are a big help to other members, when they are asked to suggest what might be causing a specific symptom in a plant.

If one drops on me again I'll snap a pic of it and post. I was really expecting to find something in it, sort of like christmas -- I couldn't wait to open.

Possibly an insect or larvae (in addition to a squirell) as you say, but it definitely isn't from disease or weather -- something did this, it wasn't shriveled up, which reminds me of something I forgot to mention is that the leaf was still green and very supple.

[kw94fsu]

Just found the same phenomenon myself under a Live Oak. Unrolled a couple "capsules" and found nothing. Seems to me that the heat/humidity may play a ROLL. The leaves first collapse long-way at the stem. Then they curl up from the tip down to the leaf stem where they detach then fall off. No squirrels, no larvae, just nature having fun!

[john gault]

I'm going to take a much better look at this if I ever see one again and I'll get pics.

[The Constant Gardener]

Hi Folks,

Sorry to dissappoint but it's not squirrels. It's the Oak Leaf Roll Weevil. See this link for the story of it and a couple of other wevils. You will see a picture of the little packets and hear about a parasitic tiny weevil that lays its eggs in the same packet and feeds on the larva of the Roll Weevil.

I discovered those packets for the first time today. They're gorgeous!

I found these neatly rolled leaves all over my terrace and in the empty pots that have been waiting patiently for me to plant my half-dead herbs in them. The area is below a Live Oak tree, which has narrow leaves about 1/2" across. The leaves were folded widthwise apparently while being rolled, so the packages were narrow. The rolls in the picture on the website link are dry; mine were fresh and very pretty. I opened a couple and saw dozens of the evenly spaced, parallel, acutely angled, darkened score lines with little obtuse angles at the ends. These short lines at the angled ends showed the dots made by the beetle proboscis mouth parts. The dots were further apart with each penetration until they trailed off as it ended the scoring process. The eggs must be tiny because I could not see them with the naked eye. The packages looked like those specially rolled young tea leaves that are purported to be rolled by monkeys: I think it is called monkey puzzle tea. I'll take pictures tomorrow, although they might be all dried out by then.

Best regards,

The Constant Gardener (I hope that moniker is not taken)

[The Constant Gardener]

Oops, I forgot to attach the link; here it is:

https://www.austinbug.com/larvalbugbio/weevils.html

The Constant Gardener

[The Constant Gardener]

Hello All,

Does anyone know how to attach a picture in the post?

Thanks,

[DoubleDogFarm]

Hello All,

Does anyone know how to attach a picture in the post?

Thanks,

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724

Eric

[The Constant Gardener]

Thanks Eric,

That was kind of you to provide this to me. Now I know where to go looking for answers to other questions that will come up.

Best regards,

Ed

[john gault]

Oops, I forgot to attach the link; here it is:

https://www.austinbug.com/larvalbugbio/weevils.html

The Constant Gardener

I looked at your link and the pics, at the bottom, showing the rolled up leaves is exactly what I saw. Mystery solved, thanks.

[applestar]

That was interesting.
As soon as I read "folded lengthwise and rolled" I knew it had to be an insect. I believe there's a species of wasp that crafts similar packages but not, I think, with oak leaves.

[john gault]

That was interesting.
As soon as I read "folded lengthwise and rolled" I knew it had to be an insect. I believe there's a species of wasp that crafts similar packages but not, I think, with oak leaves.

Maybe you're thinking of Gall Wasps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall_wasp , which form round ball-looking nests in small limbs of many trees, including my Live Oak -- I see them all the time.

Interesting new find of a wasp, which is a metallic green color, feeds on these Gall Wasps. They call it a Crypt-Keeper Wasp

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017 ... w-species/

[Oysterman]

These rolled up leaves show up every spring for about 3 weeks. Nothing in the middle of the roll. Tightly and expertly rolled and tucked to stay rolled. By the hundreds.

[applestar]

@oysterman where are you located?

I’m again reminded of the other kind discussed above — leaf cutter bees. They can be found attached and hanging from the leaf it was cut from, or they might be found pushed into holes in wood and tubes like bamboo or pipes. They are native bees in some areas.

In my area, the local native bees cut round holes in maple, Sweet Gum, and American Linden tree, and rose-family shrub leaves.

When the leaves are fresh, the little package only contains the egg, so you probably won’t see it unless you dissect it very carefully.

…Oh! and Redbud leaves — I found a picture

[webmaster]

Wow, I didn't know bees did that!