Identify unknown fruit/seed
Contributors to this thread:Pennsylvania
From: horsethief51
22-Aug-21
Out checking my trail cameras today and found these lying on the ground in the hardwoods near one of my stands. I have no idea what they are. The bigger one seems to be "riper" than the "red" one. Can't say I remember seeing any hanging on trees. Is it just another thing that deer eat?
From: horsethief51
22-Aug-21
I cut in half from top to bottom and it has a blood red outer area with orange middle section and an inner core that looks like a pit, almost like a peach seed cut in half. There was a big blood like drop and it is very juicy looking. I want to taste but not if it is poisonous. After I spread the droplet out it looks more like grape juice. Sort of smells like an apple. A mushroom it is not.
From: Teeton
22-Aug-21
Was there a lot of them? Did you look up at the tree they came from? Right now I'm thing a crabapple. I have a bunch that get only as big as big blue berries.
From: horsethief51
22-Aug-21
Not from the apple species. Did not see any on a tree.
From: SIP
22-Aug-21
Near the stand Rut is gonna hunt? Prolly the last remains of the “special food plot” he planted….;^)
From: horsethief51
22-Aug-21
Same ridge, just a couple hundred yards away. Got some interesting pics near his stand tho.
From: Teeton
22-Aug-21
So you have no idea what tree or plant they came from??
From: Rut Nut
22-Aug-21
LMBO SIP! Might be dropped by the aliens that were messing up the trailcam near the 2D TAGOUT stand! ;-)
From: horsethief51
23-Aug-21
Got video of a fisher that jumped up on a tree branch, looked straight into the lens, then walked up towards the stand. Before that a big buck walked in so close I could barely make out the rack. He walked up and sniffed the camera before walking over around the stand.
Nothing but huckleberry bushes nearby Ed and just the normal West PA hardwood trees.
From: Jeff Durnell
23-Aug-21
Looks like a fig perhaps. Did you cut them both in half the same way and if so, were they the same inside? Try to get more info next time you're out there, Art. Leaf configuration, tree height, bark, etc. Might help narrow it down.
From: horsethief51
23-Aug-21
I took biology and lab in college so I am pretty good at identifying trees by leaves. LOL. Just did not look up when I was out there. But, I do not remember ever seeing those things on trees.
From: Bob McArthur
23-Aug-21
Jeff, the fig's fruit are light in color at the edges & dark in the middle. Those pictured here are the opposite.
From: Olink
23-Aug-21
Looks like a plum to me.
From: Will tell
23-Aug-21
X2 on the Plum.
From: horsethief51
23-Aug-21
Not like my neighbors plumbs. I'll go back tomorrow and look a little closer. Thanks for all your input folks.
From: Olink
23-Aug-21
Based on the smaller size, probably some sort of wild plum.
From: horsethief51
23-Aug-21
horsethief51 's Link
Check this out. Makes sense to me. I have never seen these on an oak tree this time of year, only later when they are all dried up and brown and papery. Thanks Ned. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/oak/oak-apple-gall-info.htm
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
24-Aug-21
That’s interesting Art. Never seen that before. Home in mass or PA
From: Olink
24-Aug-21
Wow! I have never seen galls that looked like that, but after a search on the internet there is no question that is what you found.
From: horsethief51
24-Aug-21
Thinking back, I remember seeing slightly bigger dried up brown balls hanging on oak leaves in hunting season and firewood cutting season. Just never noticed them on the leaves in the summer. After reading Perry's article in PA Bowhunting I was starting to think I knew everything. LOL. Nice to see at my age I am still learning. Oh the benefits of bowhunting.
From: horsethief51
24-Aug-21
I"m guessing what I saw in the center of the mass was the bug inside the egg? I recently saw a video on the internet of folks in the south that plant a certain species of tree, that has a similar bug that puts its eggs on the leaves, next to their fishing ponds. When they hatch, they fall in the ponds and feed the catfish. They can also pick them off the trees and use them as fish bait.
From: Rut Nut
24-Aug-21
That’s interesting Art! I have never seen anything like that before or even heard of galls.
From: horsethief51
24-Aug-21
I was up there again today and found one of the brown, dried out ones that was kind of blown out and the wasp was gone.
From: Rut Nut
24-Aug-21
Wonder what happens if you cut them off the leaf/tree?
From: horsethief51
11-Jun-22
Found this in May during turkey season and finally wanted to post it. This is what the galls look like in spring when they are growing on the oak trees.
From: X-Master
14-Jun-22
Definitely an Oak Gall.
