Help Identifying Disease on Oak

[HLAuburn]

We have a willow oak (I think) in our yard that has these little white, fuzzy balls on some of the branches. The branches that they are on seem to be dead, but most of the tree seems OK, although a little more sparse than its counterpart.
Any idea what they are and more importantly, how to get rid of them?
Thanks!

 

[cerviarborist]

 

[HLAuburn]

I thought they were pretty decent pics considering... ‍

View attachment 66906

 

[JD3000]

Perhaps wax scale or a wasp gall, hard to get a good view

 

[KTSmith]

Thanks HLAuburn for finding us. The photos are of only general use, and even less so as I don't know where Fairhope is.

By that I mean sure, could be a wax scale. I'd lean towards one of the many, many species of scale insects. So, likely not a disease but an insect pest. Might be all the same to you but experts and their resources usually focus on either diseases *or* insects. Pinning that down would be helped by in-focus closeup images. I don't think my Apple 8+ could deliver adequate closeups.

Perhaps your phone is better than mine but most suck for diagnostic closeups.​

Still need to know the location..

As for "what to do about them", well, that requires a tighter ID. Available chemical control measures vary by state, so that also is affected by location. Ideally, they will prove to be benign examples of the wonders of nature. Don't have the info to make that call.

 

[cerviarborist]

If you're in Fairhope Al, there's a county extension office right in town. They have certified arborists on staff and should be able to to give you guidance on identifying the pest, as well as mitigation options. I sat for an advanced credential exam at that facility about 2 years ago, and the staff there were very competent.

 

[HLAuburn]

Thank you both for the help!