I hope everyone had a nice time during Gall Week April 2024 - and thank you for participating! You can continue uploading observations of galls documented during Gall Week (4/20-28). Please do not add observations made before or after those dates.
We've got some great sticker designs made by Chelsea and by @teamvalor786succulentsandcacti on BioBlitz Club's website - https://www.bioblitz.club/event-info/gall-week-spring-2024-event
You can download the stickers and print them at home.
I'd like to hear if the timing was good where you're at - here in California it works great, but now more than ever, I realize that it might be very early for other places. Unfortunately, if we wait till July, we would lose our Spring galls, and might start seeing fall galls. In any case, I wonder if we could find a time that would work for more people (regardless whether it's your spring or fall).
Also, I thought it would be good to overlap with the City Nature Challenge (the global iNaturalist competition). Do you think that's good?
Any favorite galls?
Merav

A gall occurs when an organism causes a plant to grow something that it would not otherwise grow. This can range from a simple thickening of a leaf to complex structures that do not resemble the original plant. There is a lot of room for debate about what counts as a gall. In some cases, we do not have enough information to be sure.

So, what to post? The Gall Week team has adopted a generally broad range for this season's project.

Feel Free to Post
Spangles, blisters, stem swellings, and other abnormal growths, even if the cause may be genetic rather than an outside organism.
Rusts and smuts (but try to exclude mere “dustings” that look like they could be brushed off like powder or cinders can be).
Leaf folds and other distortions that include some plant tissue growth.
Organisms that were living inside a gall, even though they may not be gall inducers themselves.

Please Do Not Post
Cocoons, lerps, leaves that are mechanically folded and glued, and anything else constructed by an insect with no participation by the host plant.
Leaf mines
Powdery mildew
Brown or dead areas on a leaf or other plant organ
Yellow or white leaf spots, where the plant has lost chlorophyll due to insect feeding or to aging.

It’s the first day of Gall Week! Please start documenting galls. All new observations made between 4/20-28 can be added to our project. Please add the host name if you know it, or record the host plant and link it to the gall observation. You can find more info and tips in our project description and previous journal posts. Let us know if you have any questions!
Merav and the team

This list is incomplete, but we wanted to start getting the word out. Please add the names of anyone else who might be interested.

@a_emmerson @aandmg @actuallyaxley @adirado @adriankreft @aga_l_ @agatajarska @ahabo @akilee @alainc @alejandro_lopez_nunez @alex_sosn @alexis_orion @alexis238 @allegrar @amanithor @amanthorne @amberenergy @ana_kaahanui @andreacala @andreareid @andrefabiao @andygo1 @anetteffm @anewmark @anna_mitroshenkova @annikaml @antonjo @anudibranchmom @arc5683 @archeo_tea @arf2-d2 @aruejohns @asherhiggins91 @assumpt4 @astrobirder @atachkin @atalanta20 @attilaolah @aurocyon @austinrkelly @bagli @batmania @bawb @bayareawalker @beartracker @beesndaisies_waspsnfigs_antsnpeonies @benadroit @benvelavi @beth964 @billdodd @billmac @birderboy2015 @birdingtexan @blackwarbler @blazeclaw @bluebellprince @bogsuckers @bonelia_ophelia @botanylicious @botswanabugs @brnhn @brook @browntrekker @bryce_b @bscreativelife @bs-phd @bughunter02 @bunnuru @busyberries @calconey @cammie @captainmantis37 @cardinal831 @carlacorazza @carlosd73 @carolblaney @carol-in-maine @carrieseltzer @carrotpeople @cath_callas 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