Good heavens! It looks like an egg-casing for a tiny wasp that the insects have emerged from, but who knows what they are. Those holes are empty, right? The egg case on the top right of this page looks a bit similar, though the author doesn't identify it.

I recognize what appears to be mint plants of some kind but what kind of leaf is that? A variety of oak? (Maybe there's an insect that lays its eggs on that particular kind of leaf.)

The leaf is oak and the plant is mint. Yes, the holes are empty. It was an interesting find and thought I'd look to see if anyone knew what it was.

I suspect the egg case is from one of many many varieties of oak gall wasps, pretty harmless critters. Every region has its own variety of them!

It's a great clear picture, BTW, and you could always send it to "What's that Bug?" or bugguide.net and ask for ID there if nobody here knows what it is.

Doesn't look gall-y to me, as they are usu not so regular, but ento. is not my strong suit.

Your Extension Agency should have an entomologist on staff or on call. That piccie should be sufficient for ID.

Dan

anney,

Th egg cases you linked to are from stink bugs. Quite different thatn what's on the oak leaf because the image shows individual (empty) egg cases.

terry, do you still have this 'thing' in your possession? I'd like to see a picture of it removed from the leaf.

Hi. Here is a link to some picture I took of the egg casing off of the leaf. The casing is ribbed and is no bigger than the tip of a pencil. The egg casing was attached to the underside rib of the oak leaf.

This is just a curiosity on my part but I would like to know what is going on out there in the insect world in the garden.

I appreciate all of y'all's time and effort in getting this identified!

Here is a link that might be useful: Egg Casing

Hmm. Appears as if it's part of the leaf. Then I'd stick with the suggestion it's a gall.

That said, I wasn't able to locate such a gall via an online search.

Are you able to take it to your county's Extension Service office? If not, I suspect they'll accept mailed samples -- put it in small box so it remains intact.

Request an ID by the entomologist. Even if none is in the office, they can send the sample to the University.