1) Fuzzy, red blotches on Carya sp. caused by eriophyid mites     2) Small bumps on sour gum

ERIOPHYID MITES - These mites are of the order Acari, family Eriophyidae. The mites are very tiny and invisible to the naked eye. There are over 1200 species, most of that are oval shaped and taper towards the back. They differ from other mites because they only have two pairs of legs at the front of their bodies rather than eight evenly distributed legs. These mites are responsible for many abnormalities on leaf surfaces, stems, buds and flowers. The mites cause the growth of galls by feeding on the leaf tissue and then entering it and laying eggs within. The galls can look very different depending on the species of mite. Some examples are red blotches, blisters, spindles and witch's brooms. They occur on a wide variety of hosts such as plum, Nyssa, linden, hackberry, and sugar maple. The damage caused by these small mites is largely aesthetic and treatment is rarely necessary. Horticultural oil can be applied in May to reduce populations if necessary.