Original observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66309947

Outer shells have started breaking away from the gall like a Transformer. The insides have softened after a rainstorm, and the larvae have started emerging. 2.5-3mm long. Multiple larvae in each gall.

I thought how could it be growing out in the middle of the water. There is none on either bank where it could have sprouted and grown a stem out to the middle. Then I saw in my photos that it is attached to a piece of driftwood. There is a sharp drop off right in this area where there are no plants on the surface. So anything floating gets pushed here by the wind and caught up in the plants.

1 flower stalk seen at 1105 Ross Ave. 7 flower spikes see in vacant lot to west. First flower spikes I've seen this fall. Spikes seemed pretty short, maybe in response to little rain. 2020-11-09 update: The vacant lot on Ross Street has been mowed over the weekend 11/8?,so those 7 flower spikes have been destroyed before they set seed.

lawn weed in front of herbarium; herb, several plants seen. often growing intermixed with the superficially similar Ranunculus sardous (posted at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46462034); the basal leaves of R. sardous are typically more dissected & it is typically more densely pubescent (at least near base), but the most reliable way i'm seeing to consistently identify them is that R. sardous achenes are smaller with faces that vary from smooth to papillate (not seen here yet) but not with coarse prickles like in R. muricatus (as compared in last photo).

I suspect this may be Spring Ladies Tresses. I haven't had time to look at all the characteristics yet. This is the same area that has had hundreds of Nodding Ladies Tresses in the Fall. I found 10 flower stalks today. The flower stalks were 22-32 inches tall for the most part. The plants are much larger and stouter than Nodding L.T. The flowers are arranged strongly in a spiral. The basal leaves are much larger and most plants seemed to have 3-4 basal leaves.