Oak Tree Lacks Acorns

[Ric.ror]

There’s an old oak tree near me that usually at this time of year is awash with acorns. This year not one! I’m sure this has happened in previous years too
Is it normal for them to ‘fruit’ every year or just alternate years?

TIA

[davebro]

Too many squirrels ?

[Ellipsis]

They are stressed this year. There was an article on Radio 4 about it ... a bad year for acorns.

[Ric.ror]

Thank you

[ladybirder]

Why were they stressed Ellipsis? Too cold, too hot, not enough rain, too much rain or ...?

[Chipchopper]

Heavy downpours wash the pollen out of the (wind pollinating) flowers, before it has a chance to float off on the Breeze and mix with other flowers.
I've noticed that the oaks that border my garden, had a bumper crop last year, but virtually zero this year, I worried that this will affect the jay population, as Acorns are a large part of their diet.

[AuntPG]

We have four ancient oak trees on our land and I've noticed a distinct lack of acorns. At the weekend I went to collect some for harvest decorations and couldn't find a single one. I just thought the squirrels had been busy.

[jno]

a bumper crop of galls this year; I couldn't go out in the garden in bare feet for weeks.

[AuntPG]

What are 'galls'?

[jno]

you'll know them if you tread on them, APG. Horrible mutant thingies with sharp edges (which I think are the actual "galls").

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/galls/knopper-gall-wasp

[AuntPG]

Yuk! never ever seen one of those before.

[Ric.ror]

I have noticed a lot more squirrels this year
More than I’ve ever seen and their getting a bit cheeky too almost coming straight up to me in the park

[Chipchopper]

Knopper galls are parasitic, and grow out of the acorns (destroying them), so if there is no acorns, you won't see any knopper galls.
Interestingly, another type of gall, is the currant gall, which resemble red currants, and attack the flowers, oak apples and spangle galls are two other examples, commonly seen on oak.

[Chipchopper]

The grey squirrels in my neck of the woods have switched to chestnuts

[AuntPG]

Loads of conkers around here. Youngest son collects them to put in his bedroom -he reckons they keep away spiders.

[Atheist]

APG; we used to call them Oak Apples. Little round things, like marbles. Used to make ink, as they are rich in tannin.

[Ellipsis]

> Why were they stressed Ellipsis? Too cold, too hot, not enough rain, too much rain or ...?

Here's the best I can find. Looks like their prediction was correct ...

https://naturescalendar.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2021/cold-wet-spring-of-2021/
Oak trees usually start flowering from the end of April to mid-May. Oak flowers are wind pollinated, and with the wet weather we’ve had this May we might expect acorn yields to be lower this autumn due to poor pollination conditions this spring. It’s likely to be a big contrast to autumn 2020 when there seemed to be a bumper crop of acorns which were seen carpeting the floor in many areas. We’ll have to wait and see.

[ladybirder]

Thank you. Learnt something new today:-0)

[Ellipsis]

:)

[Chipchopper]

The perfectly round ones are "marble galls"