Strange objects in oak bonsai

[Joe Dupre']

This is a new one on me. I found these in my oak bonsai and in no others. I put them beside some 8822 for scale. They have the consistency of some kind of droppings, but are a very weird shape for that. Any clues? I didn't see any signs of pests on the tree.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

This is a new one on me. I found these in my oak bonsai and in no others. I put them beside some 8822 for scale. They have the consistency of some kind of droppings, but are a very weird shape for that. Any clues? I didn't see any signs of pests on the tree.

View attachment 444043

Wow, real head scratcher here. Looks like a seed pod, a coffee bean, and a alien brain sucker pod. Where did you find them? Top of the soil, middle, or bottom? Is the Oak sitting under or close to another plant? I find acorns buried in potted plants from squirrels sometimes but that's no acorn. I love a good mystery.

 

[Joe Dupre']

They were sitting on the soil surface in a random pattern. Other bonsai were close but nothing unusual about them.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Hmmm, I did image searches and I got nothing. Has to be something local to you, but other than that I'm stumped. Hopefully,

 

[crab apple]

If you have a trail camera you could set that up real close and you'd probably have your answer in the morning.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I posted the pic on a plant ID page on Face book. Two people came back with the reply that they are caterpillar droppings. I'll have to go look for the culprit. Should be a bruiser considering the size of the droppings.

 

[Backwardsvg]

This should be your answer automeris io is the type of caterpillar. Looks to be around you

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/109/2020/06/IMG_2440-e1591719591584-500x367.jpg

 

[Paradox]

I posted the pic on a plant ID page on Face book. Two people came back with the reply that they are caterpillar droppings. I'll have to go look for the culprit. Should be a bruiser considering the size of the droppings.

Might want to take an elephant gun for that sucker...

 

[Joe Dupre']

Looks to be an orange striped oak worm. Makes sense since I found the droppings in an oak bonsai pot. Also, I have a 4.5 foot diameter live oak in my front yard.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Looks to be an orange striped oak worm. Makes sense since I found the droppings in an oak bonsai pot. Also, I have a 4.5 foot diameter live oak in my front yard.

Wow. Ok. I have decent medium sized toads around here that have smaller droppings. We do have those worms, I cut them in half with my garden scissors when I see them and horn worms. Learn something gross everyday.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Look like smaller praying mantis eggs.

 

[Dav4]

I used to find similar on my cars parked underneath an oak next to my driveway in GA... well fed caterpillars!

 

[casun]

I vote alien brain sucker pod.

 

[rockm]

I vote for the automeris droppings. It is the caterpillar for the Io moth and apparently it can sting you...

io moth - Automeris io (Fabricius)

be careful out there. BTW, the moth is becoming rare. I'd find it, knock it into a container and throw it in the woods.