Under attack

This took me by surprise and for a shocked  instant I thought... shrapnel!
So do our minds run  at the present time.

In fact the red blobs are the asexual stage of a common fungal pathogen called Coral Spot Fungus, Nectria cinnabarina, that attacks weak or vulnerable trees. In this case it's a small holly which has been invaded.

Clearly it's not the only red aggressor gaining ground  at the moment.