Unidentified Galls

There are more than 2,000 gall-producing insects in the United States; 1,500 are either gall midges or gall wasps.

Agent producing the gall usually very small, less than 1 mm to a few millimeters. Galls can be as large as a couple of inches.

Plant tissue of the host plant.

This is the section where images of unidentified galls are kept, hopefully temporarily.

Gall insects (and mites) are usually highly specific about what kind of plants they use, and even what part of the plant. To maximize your chances of getting a gall identified, record the plant species (include photos of the leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. if you're not sure), and if it's a leaf gall, note the position on the leaf (if it's not obvious from the photo): upper side or underside; midrib, side vein, or somewhere else. Also note whether or not the gall is detachable, the size of the gall, and anything else distinctive about it that may not be clear in the photo. Sometimes cross-sectioning the gall and photographing the interior structure can help significantly with identification; note however that this can be fatal to the inhabitant(s) if there are any present. With oaks in particular, which are hosts for hundreds of kinds of galls, every little detail can help to narrow down the options.

Cecidomyiidae (Gall Midges)

Cynipidae (Gall Wasps)

Eriophyidae (Gall Mites)

Goldenrod Gall Fauna

(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8)

Colo. State U.. Insect and Mite Galls.

Gall-Making Insects.

Iowa State U.. Insect Galls on Trees and Shrubs.

U. of Florida. Insect Galls.

TAMU. Gall-making Insects and Mites.

Wikipedia.

Confessions of a Gall Hunter (article in Natural History by Ron Russo)

USDA. The Ecology and Evolution of Gall-forming Insects[/url]

Gallformers.