Customer Reviews

Field Guide to Plant Galls of California and Other Western States (California Natural History Guides)

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Perfect size, organization, filled with photos, descriptions (size, host plants, scientific names, lifecycle and illustrations), glossary, comprehensive index and 70 pages of essential Introduction. Besides, there is nothing else like it. I've used this guide for seven months in California and Arizona. If you want to identify and become familiar with plant galls of the western states, this is the book you need.

Galls are strange, bulbaceous objects often found on plants and trees. They consist of plant tissue, but have been induced by insects, bacteria or fungi. A classical example of gall-inducing insects are the gall wasps. Their galls are often rather "galling" and conspicuous, including the well known oak apples. Other insects that create galls include aphids, tephritid fruit flies and gall midges.

Ron Russo's "Field Guide to Plant Galls" is a field guide to galls found in California, but can be used in other Western states as well. The field guide section contain colour photos of the galls and descriptions of both galls and gall-inducers. Most of the gall-inducers aren't illustrated, however. A few species not yet described by science have been included.

The book also contains a more general section on the natural history of both galls and gall-inducers. The life of a gall-inducing insect isn't a bed of roses, it seems. They and their galls are frequently attacked by inquilines, parasites and predators (such as birds or rodents). The galls of gall wasps have a fascinating defence strategy: they secrete a kind of honeydew which attracts ants or wasps, thereby keeping parasites away. Some galls have been used in Native American medicine or even sold as food. Another popular use for galls is to produce ink. The author claims that the treaty which ended World War II in the Pacific was signed using gall ink!

"Field Guide to Plants Galls of California and Other Western States" is primarily directed at people who actually want to go out and identify plant galls, but the extensive section on natural history also makes it interesting for the general reader. It also contains a reference section for those who want to learn more.

Five stars.

Ronald Russo's new handbook of galls of the western United States is a first-rate publication for individuals studying this fascinating topic.

I bought this book because I owned and loved Russo's out of print first guide to plant galls. This is so much more. We are introduced to galls not only caused by cynipid wasps, but galls induced by aphids, moths, beetles, flies, and mites, plus galls that represent plant's responses to bacteria, fungi, and even mistletoe. The variety of these structures is amazing, and obviously much more is waiting to be discovered. If you are curious about the natural world, this beautifully illustrated book will be a good addition to your library.

I have seen the galls on plants and this book answers what made the galls. So many different kinds. A really interesting reference filled with information on the plants and insects