Presented by Kimberlie Sasan - Texas Master Naturalist
Description: Galls are fascinating structures found on a wide variety of plants.
These abnormal growths are caused by a range of organisms, including
insects, mites, fungi, and bacteria. Galls can vary in size, shape,
and color, and can serve a range of functions for the organisms that
inhabit them. This presentation will explore the diverse range of
galls found in nature, from the simple bumps caused by mites to the
complex structures induced by wasps. Join us to learn what galls are,
how to identify the organisms that make them, and even how you could
find the next undescribed species!
Bio: Kimberlie Sasan is a Texas Master Naturalist from the Fort Worth area.
She started out with a wide variety of volunteer activities, mostly
bluebird nestbox monitoring and working with the Botanical Research
Institute of Texas, both of which she still does today, but quickly
recognized an interest in insects. She completed the Volunteer Master
Entomology Specialist class in 2018. She enjoys mothing and traveling
across Texas to iNat new flora and fauna. In 2022 she described a
gall new to science, Druon laceyi, and will be presenting a more
in-depth talk on galls at the Texas Annual Master Naturalist Meeting
in McAllen this October. Kimberlie is also an Herbarium and Research
Assistant at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas at the Fort
Worth Botanic Garden.
