I don’t know how long it’s been there.  I just noticed it a few days ago while walking the dog in the woods behind Bergman Park.  It kept catching my eye throughout the walk – so it was fairly widespread.  When I found one last example on my way back to the car, I decided I just HAD to stop for photos.

Strange, fuzzy growths on the stems of brambles – I’m not sure what kind of brambles.  Whenever I see strange growths on plants that seem to be made of plant material, I think galls…  I really don’t know for sure about these, though…  These plants also sometimes have a wad of wilted leaves up at the end of the stem:  I’ve read those ARE caused by an insect.  But some plants have just this, others just the wilty leaves.  It may have been a coincidence that some plants had both, just like you can find both ball and bunch galls on a single goldenrod plant.

So… any guesses from my nature nerd readers?  (And I call you “nature nerds” with the greatest of affection!)