Walking through your Texas backyard, you might spot what appears to be a bird’s nest tucked among the branches of your oak or pine trees. But don’t be fooled by appearances!
Many structures in Texas trees aren’t nests at all, but rather fascinating natural phenomena or signs of something unexpected. Understanding what’s really happening in your trees can help you better care for your yard and local wildlife.
1. Witch’s Broom: Nature’s Tangled Mystery
Those dense, broomlike clusters of twigs growing from a single point aren’t abandoned nests but a condition called witch’s broom. This unusual growth happens when a tree experiences stress from fungi, insects, or even mistletoe.
The result looks eerily like someone hung a broom in your tree! While unsightly, witch’s brooms rarely harm the overall tree health. Some Texas gardeners even consider them unique natural decorations worth preserving.
2. Squirrel Dreys: Leafy Hideaways Above
Round, leafy masses nestled against tree trunks or tucked in branch forks might be squirrel dreys. Unlike bird nests, dreys feature tightly woven twigs, leaves, and moss forming a softball-sized shelter.
Texas fox squirrels and gray squirrels build these cozy homes for raising young and winter protection. Look for telltale signs like fresh green leaves mixed with dried materials, indicating an active drey rather than an abandoned bird nest.
3. Ball Moss: The Misunderstood Hitchhiker
Ball moss clusters clinging to tree branches throughout Central Texas often get mistaken for nests. Despite its name, this plant isn’t moss at all, but an epiphyte related to pineapples!
Growing in fuzzy, gray-green balls ranging from marble to softball size, ball moss uses trees merely for support. Many Texans worry these plants harm trees, but they’re typically harmless passengers just along for the ride, adding character to our live oaks.
4. Galls: Tiny Insect Condominiums
Ever noticed strange, round swellings on leaves or twigs? These aren’t mini-nests but plant galls—abnormal growths caused when certain insects lay eggs in plant tissue. Texas oak trees often sport marble-sized “oak apple galls” that house developing wasp larvae.
Each gall type has a distinctive appearance, from spiky stars to smooth spheres. While occasionally concerning to homeowners, most galls cause minimal harm to healthy trees and create fascinating natural curiosities in your yard.
5. Spanish Moss: Graceful Tree Drapery
Those elegant, gray strands cascading from East Texas trees aren’t massive abandoned nests but Spanish moss. This iconic Southern plant drapes trees like natural tinsel, creating that quintessential Texas landscape.
Spanish moss belongs to the air plant family and simply uses trees for physical support. While dense growths can sometimes reduce tree vigor by blocking sunlight, moderate amounts typically cause no harm and provide valuable wildlife habitat for small creatures like tree frogs.
6. Webworm Tents: Silky Seasonal Spectacles
Large, silky webs engulfing entire branches aren’t oversized spider nests but the work of fall webworms. These caterpillars create protective silk tents around leaves they’re munching on, expanding their silky fortress as they feed.
Common throughout Texas, especially on pecan and mulberry trees, these webs appear most dramatically in late summer. While unsightly, webworms rarely cause lasting damage to established trees. Their webs will naturally disappear after caterpillars complete their lifecycle.
7. Mistletoe Clusters: Holiday Parasites
Those round, green bundles high in leafless winter trees aren’t leftover nests but mistletoe plants. This holiday decoration favorite is actually a parasitic plant that taps into tree branches to steal water and nutrients.
Particularly common in Texas mesquite and oak trees, mistletoe forms distinctive evergreen clumps that stand out dramatically when host trees drop their leaves. Birds spread mistletoe by wiping sticky seeds on branches after eating the berries, creating new growth points.