Ramsey Sullivan
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ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Ramsey Sullivan
@ramzsullivan.bsky.social
780 followers 120 following 86 posts
Passionate about #cecidology (the study of #gall inducing organisms) // Gallformers.org administrator // Learning macro photography // iNat: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/tepary // Living in #Alaska // he/him
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ramzsullivan.bsky.social
A #dissection series of a Disholcaspis #gall found on an #oak at #CSU, Fort Collins, #CO.
#insects #plants #entomology
A round greenish gall on a branch of an oak with leaves turning yellow. A dissected Disholcaspis gall showing an encased structure in solid tissue. An inquiline is seen next to the inducer's chamber. A Disholcaspis sp. pupa held between to fingers. It appears white with red eyes.
October 28, 2025 at 8:46 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Just a couple of dark taxa hanging out...
A platygastrid wasp oviposits next to an ovipositing Dasineura epilobii midge.
September 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
#gall #meme
A meme made from the book cover illustrated in 1972 by Harry Borgman for Dr. Futurity by Philip K Dick: A moon in the shape of a skull watches over a man in a space suit without a helmet peering at a glowing object on an alien crater. "The pervasive rot of existence", is written over the moon and, "Me, looking for a cool gall" is written above the glowing object.
September 19, 2025 at 7:22 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Gall Week Sept 2025 is here! Join the event: www.inaturalist.org/projects/gal... and Gall Week Umbrella Project: www.inaturalist.org/projects/gal....

#GallWeek #iNaturalist #Gallsky #botany #entomology #CitizenScience #CommunityScience #plants #galls #BioBlitz #NatureID #PlantPathology #Ecology
Cai, the cabbage merchant from the animated series Avatar the Last Airbender, holds a large, rose-shaped green-and-pink plant gall (Willow Rose Gall) close to his face with a blissful smile and closed eyes; a wooden building with red circular decorations is visible in the background.
September 1, 2025 at 8:41 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
#Papercraft delta traps I made for a #SciComm booth about #spongymoth detection in #AK. They were a hit with all ages. Lots of participants mentioned they had seen these traps before, but never knew what they were!

#Cricut project:
design.cricut.com/landing/proj...

#bugsky #entomology #craft
Two paper-model delta traps are held in the palm of a hand. Delta trap cut and scored into cardstock paper, composed of five horizontal scores, two vertical scores, and four triangle perforations. Two paper-model delta traps are placed on either side of a real delta trap. The real delta trap reads, "Insect Trap, Please Do Not Disturb".
August 27, 2025 at 6:56 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
#GallWeek is happening May 3rd-11.th Join the project on #iNaturalist and document gall diversity near you: www.inaturalist.org/projects/gal...

Event-sticker orders, open thru the 16th, can be accessed in the project.

#gall #citizenscience #communityscience #sticker #entomology #nature
Gall Week May 2025 Sticker Design: Rolled parchment with the text, Gall Week, lays sealed with a round wax stamp that reads, May 2025, next to an inkwell with a feather quill that resembles an oak leaf colorfully transitioning through seasons. Two round galls with exit holes lay next to the inkwell.
April 28, 2025 at 1:04 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
#Flowerfriday A Capitate Lousewort (Pedicularis capitata) grows on the side of Tanalian Mt with Lake Clark and the remote town of Port Alsworth, #AK featured behind. This land is Dena'ina ełnena land and has been known by the names Qizhjeh and Qizhjeh Vena for much longer.
A capitate lousewort with three flowers in bloom grows amongst bog blueberries on the side of Tanalian Mt. Alder grows further down the slope. Behind the flower is the town of Port Alsworth and Lake Clark.
March 22, 2025 at 3:50 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
This undescribed #tephritidae induced gall (www.jstor.org/stable/42871...) is easily my favorite #gall on rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa). It's uncommon in my experience, having only encountered it twice.
#bugsky #entomology #naturephotography #diptera
A four sided gall opened with four recurved points is held above a rosette of stunted leaves by a peduncle emerging from the green stem of a rubber rabbitbrush.
February 25, 2025 at 3:42 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
The leaf the galls and mite above came from.
A birch leaf is held showing over 50 small (≈1-2mm wide) red pimple-like pouch galls induced by mites on its underside.
February 24, 2025 at 5:02 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
#Gall #mites (Eriophyidae) inside their gall on a #birch #leaf. #nature #macro
February 24, 2025 at 5:02 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Last year I reared #moths out of a fireweed stem #gall that was growing in my backyard and gave them to a project sequencing moths in AK. Even in your nearest outdoor space there are #discoveries to be made. Stay curious. Results: portal.boldsystems.org/record/AKLEP...
#nature #entomology
A conspicuously swollen section of fireweed stem approximately 2.5" in length and 1.5" in diameter. A moth, with long antennae, in the genus Mompha that was reared from a fireweed stem gall. The moth is shown in detail through a dissecting scope to reveal brown wings with tan and auburn banding.
February 20, 2025 at 9:11 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
I walked the Cave Spring Trail every weekend for over a year when I lived in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. During that time, I had the privilege of documenting the development of many #galls. Here's one of my favorites. Details in alt text. #nationalpark #entomology #utah
A two pannel photo showing the development of several Cotton-gall Midge, Rhopalomyia utahensis, galls on Rubber Rabbitbrush, Ericameria nauseosa over 20 days. Left photo depicts small galls less than 5mm in size. Right photo shows the same galls, 20 days later, now 10mm in size. Both photos show a ruler, in cm, placed behind the galls for scale.
January 24, 2025 at 10:27 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
An undescribed wasp in the genus Neuroterus emerging from her gall on a Harvard oak leaf; sped up 2x.
#gall #wasp #oak #entomology #insect #bug #citizenscience

www.gallformers.org/gall/3484
January 22, 2025 at 6:27 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Honored for the acknowledgment in a paper by Ray Gagné et al redescribing Dasineura epilobii in #AK. I shared #gall development on #fireweed #plants over the summer via #iNaturalist, which helped confirm life history traits. #citizenscience #entomology https:/ldoi.org/1 0.4289/0013- 8797.126.3.292
A fireweed flower bud gall midge, Dasineura epilobii, rests on a fireweed flower bud.
January 22, 2025 at 2:21 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
A throwback to this beautiful spider camouflaged on a fir branch at a campsite in the La Sal Mts of Moab, Utah. Fierce Orbweaver (Araneus saevus). Taken with a pixel 4 and lens attachment.
#spider #camouflage #nature #photography
A Fierce Orbweaver, Araneus saevus, sits camoflauged on a fir branch.
January 8, 2025 at 11:07 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
My partner made 2"x2"
framed needle-felted plant galls. ldentifications and hosts in the alt txt. #gallsky #art #needlefelting #scienceart #entomology #bugsky #wool
Five needle felted galls, two yellow, three brown, of Belonocnema fossoria on a needle felt Quercus geminata (Sand Live Oak) leaf. Three green needle felt developing Aciurina trixa galls (Bubble-gall Tephritid) of Ericameria nauseosa (Rubber Rabbitbrush) A red and white needle felt gall of Amphibolips quercusjuglans (Acorn Plum Gall Wasp) of Quercus sp.
December 29, 2024 at 10:07 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
My partner made 2"x2" framed needle-felted plant galls. Identifications and hosts in the alt txt. #gallsky #art #needlefelting #scienceart #entomology #bugsky #wool
Line drawings of various galls frame the text, "The Tiny Plant Gall-ery." A white and red needle-felted gall ofCallirhytis seminator (Wool Sower Gall Wasp) of White Oaks A green and red needle-felted gall of Amphibolips cookii (Oak Apple Gall Wasp) of Quercus sp A yellow and white needle-felted gall, with yellow beads for resin, of Aciurina trixa (Bubble-gall Tephritid) of Ericameria nauseosa (Rubber Rabbitbrush)
December 29, 2024 at 10:01 AM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
I have found new-to-science galls by dissecting family and friends' holiday trees when they are done with them. Here are some of the ones that led to new undescribed galls and range extensions! (2/2) #gall #communityscience #citizenscience #entomology #holidays #nature #ornaments #dftba
A gall from Pinus edulis appears as a dense bunch of needles at the end of a branch. Galls at the proximal end of a Picea mariana twig appear as small bumps. An orange and horned pupa of a gall midge from the previous photo featuring galls of Picea mariana is placed next to a dissecting rod.
December 23, 2024 at 9:00 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
In my family, we have a tradition called, "Deck the Galls!" We look for galls on our decorated tree and rear them out. If you have a tree, or outside-to-inside plant for any holiday, consider turning it into a science project. #gall #citizenscience #holidays #christmastree #entomology (1/2).
A midge pupal exuvia extends from a gall consisting of small stunted needles on Pinus edulis. A gall consisting of small stunted needles from pinus edulis measures about 6mm next to a ruler. A dissected gall consisting of small stunted needles from Pinus edulis reveals a single chamber with an orange gall midge larva.
December 23, 2024 at 9:00 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Dasineura swainei, spruce bud midge, in oviposition on a fresh spruce tip. Spotted while walking the pup last summer and was glad I had my macro-lens attachment for my phone in my pack! #gallsky #gall #macro #entomology
A spruce bud midge, Dasineura swainei, with her ovipositor inserted in between spruces needles at the apex of a fresh spruce tip.
December 11, 2024 at 10:30 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Spruce bud rust, Chrysomyxa woroninii, is an edible gall (mostly to the people of Sweden). Swedes know it as, "Mjölkomlor," or flour rolls. It's also a food source for grouse as captured by its Finnish name, "Teerenleipa," or grouse bread. #gallsky #gall #fungifriends #fungi #ethnobotany #nature
A swollen, yellow spruce tip infected by the spruce bud rust, Chrysomyxa woroninii. A swollen red/orange spruce tip infected by the spruce bud rust, Chrysomyxa woroninii.
December 4, 2024 at 9:22 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
The gall the midge emerged from. In this photo the scales that normally cover the bottom part of the twig have been removed.
A swelling (gall) at the bottom of a spruce tip. Looks like a bud.
December 2, 2024 at 10:12 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
Midge emerging from its gall.
#macro #gallsky #gall #bugsky #insect #bugs #nature #photography
A gall midge emerges from its gall and pupal case.
December 2, 2024 at 10:07 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
A gall midge I reared last summer. Lots of parasitic wasps came from the galls as well. #midge #bugsky #insect #bugs #gallsky #gall #macro #photography
An orange gall midge perches on a spruce needle.
December 2, 2024 at 9:44 PM
ramzsullivan.bsky.social
At the scale of this springtail, the bumps on a lichen are boulders and mosses are trees.
#macro #springtail #nature #photography
Spingtail ( Family Dicyrtomidae) on a pelt lichen.
December 2, 2024 at 9:06 PM