Known also as the Bush Coconut; a valuable food source to the desert Aboriginal people.

information quoted from http://www.alicespringsdesertp...
where these photographs were taken.

"This tree is host to an unusual female insect called a coccid. She has no legs, wings or antennae and never leaves her gall. Hidden away, she spends her life sucking sap out of the trees veins".

From your link, I clicked on the "coccid" link, under the Gall subheading: http://www.alicespringsdesertp...
The Desert Bloodwood Tree (Corymbia opaca) is host to an unusual female coccid insect which forms a gall around itself. Galls are swellings on the stems or leaves of plants. The coccid's name is Cystococcus pomiformis and her gall is called a "bush coconut". The adult female is a yellowy-green colour and has no legs, wings or antennae.

I don't see anywhere (on either page) that the insect invades the fruit. Did I miss something, or are you jumping to an erroneous conclusions?

Leftwood said:From your link, I clicked on the "coccid" link, under the Gall subheading: http://www.alicespringsdesertp...
The Desert Bloodwood Tree (Corymbia opaca) is host to an unusual female coccid insect which forms a gall around itself. Galls are swellings on the stems or leaves of plants. The coccid's name is Cystococcus pomiformis and her gall is called a "bush coconut". The adult female is a yellowy-green colour and has no legs, wings or antennae.

I don't see anywhere (on either page) that the insect invades the fruit. Did I miss something, or are you jumping to an erroneous conclusions?

Interesting point you raise Rick; it leads me to further reading into this tree and it's traits. I'd understood that the seed, becomes a hard fruit called a gumnut. This is what I'd interpreted to have been invaded by the insect, so perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree with this assumption. Know, I should never assume anything.

I'm more than happy to write to The Desert Park and enquire further and I will update this thread.

Appreciate your interest, and helping to verify, what potentially could be mis-interpretation on my behalf. The gall itself, could well be something quite separate to the gumnut, and it appear to be so.

The gall itself, could well be something quite separate to the gumnut, and it appear to be so.

Yes, I think so. From what I get, the gumnut the fruiting part, and the bush coconut (a different entity) is the gall.

Yes @Leftwood, that's how it reads for sure. You were onto it right from the start; appreciate that; thanks again. In following through, I've learnt more about the insect and the bush-coconut!