Gall resources
When you're looking for galls, it's important to know what are the best host plants in your area. You can find the host plants on iNaturalist. Try searching first for gall photos, so you'd know what to look for.
I'd like to share a few resources people can use in order to get started. Please feel free to add more - there are many great resources out there - let's share them! Are there any great books/ websites/ iNat projects that you love using? Please add them in the comments.
Here are a few suggestions (integrating comments from previous Gall Week projects):
Africa:
Galls of Africa -
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-africa
South Africa (and surrounding countries) - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-s-afr
Asia:
Taiwan - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/gall-taiwan
Australia:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/australian-galls
Europe:
Galls of Europe - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/european-plant-galler-faunistics
Galhas de Portugal (focused on galls from Portugal)
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galhas-de-portugal
And Galls of the Iberian Peninsula (an umbrella project including the previous project, and others from Spain)
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-the-iberian-peninsula
A website is in German, but it is sorted by the scientific plant names in alphabetical subpages. It not only lists galls, but also stuff that might be mistaken as a gall but is just some ungalled part of the plants - https://www.pflanzengallen.de/pflanzenverzeichnis.php?letter=A
A good European resource for galls and leafminers: https://bladmineerders.nl/
In Sweden, look for Common aspen (Populus tremula), common alder (Alnus glutinosa), Linden (Tilia sp.), and oaks.
Galls of Britain and Ireland: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/plant-galls-of-britain-ireland
North America:
Host Plants -
In the West: Oaks! Willows, Coyote Brush, and Poplars, creosote bush, roses.
In the East: Oaks! poplars, willows, Hickory, Hackberry, Goldenrods, maples, sumacs, jewelweed, and many Asteraceae.
Gallformers - search for galls by host plants - https://gallformers.org/
Galls of North America - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-north-america
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/north-american-galls
Leaf and plant galls - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/leaf-and-plant-galls
Galls of the Eastern United States - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-the-eastern-united-state
Galls of California - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-california
Notes about gall-making insects on goldenrods, particularly in Eastern North America - https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/ddennism/28052-goldenrod-galls
Creosote Bush galls - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/creosote-bush-galls
Books - Plant Galls of the Western United States, Ron Russo, 2021
Tracks & Signs of Insects and Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species, Charley Eiseman and Noah Charney, 2010
South America:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/south-american-galls
And please add other projects in the comments if I've missed them, and any other suggestions you might have.
Comments
For those of us looking at oak galls, will the galls be made by the male/female generation? (Generally smaller, less ornate than the parthenogenic generation in fall?)
Here's a link to a journal post I made on the resources I use. Featured places include AK, AZ, UT, TX, and general Southwest resources. https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/tepary/72938-gall-plant-and-other-id-resources
Hi,
Can you add Galls of Britain and Ireland please: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/plant-galls-of-britain-ireland
Thanks,
SK53
Hi @bayareawalker Sorry for the late reply! I know at least in CA, most spring oak galls are bisexual (although there are a few exceptions), meaning that both male and female wasps emerge FROM them, but actual galls were made BY unisexual (agamic) females laying eggs often during winter or very early spring.
Thanks, @norikonbu! I've been wondering this! (Which gen made the galls vs emerges)
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