BWCA Mud 'nests' in tree/red spider or mite Boundary Waters Listening Point

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Listening Point - General Discussion

Mud 'nests' in tree/red spider or mite

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Slug

07/28/2008 08:29PM

I saw trees full of small, black, oblong 'nests', seemed to be made of mud, with small dark red spiders or mites crawling on them. I am not sure of the tree, but it was not pine. Does anyone know what creature this is? I would like to read up on the species but have had no luck googling.

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silentbeard

07/28/2008 08:43PM

Wombat!

"Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing."

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SIRT

07/28/2008 08:48PM

mud nest is this it?

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Slug

07/28/2008 09:02PM

No, it was not mud daubers or anything I have ever seen before.

Too small for wombats. ; )

The insect looked like a much larger, darker in color, chigger (sorta).

The nests were basically black in color and most about an inch long, oblong with tapered ends.

Thanks for trying. Should have taken a picture!

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Jimi

07/28/2008 10:06PM

Slug,

Do you know what kind of tree it was? I'd suggest searching for that tree and gall or galls. An example.

Jimi

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thebotanyguy

08/01/2008 01:04PM

What you have described sounds like it might be Black Knot, a common fungal disease on cherry and plum. In the BWCA you would find these growths on chokecherry and pin cherry. The insects/arachnids you found crawling on the growths would be merely coincidental.

Here is a link to a photo and description:

Black Knot

"Said one of these men, long past seventy years of age: 'I could carry, paddle, walk and sing with any man I ever saw. I have been twenty-four years a canoe man, and forty-one years in service; no portage was ever too long for me. Fifty songs could I sing. I have saved the lives of ten voyageurs. Have had twelve wives and six running dogs. I spent all my money in pleasure. Were I young again, I should spend my life the same way over. There is no life so happy as a voyageur's life!'"

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Slug