Galls

Several years ago I planted a Bald Cypress tree along the creek. It was doing great until the deer discovered it. It was destroyed that season by the bucks rubbing the small trunk with their antlers. I thought it was gone. So you can imagine my surprise to find it growing this season. It is doing quite well. Like so many plants this season the deer have left it alone. But it has another problem, Taxodiomyia cupressiananassa, cypress twig gall midge. The larvae of this tiny fly produce the galls. A gall is just abnormal plant material production, the bluish brown clumps in the photo. These galls will not harm the tree but they are not very attractive and the galls cause the branches to droop making the tree look rather sad.