Sam Guida – Galls, Burls and Brooms, Oh My!

Sam Guida (he/him) is currently working as the Facilities Director at Camp Olson YMCA in Longville, Minnesota. One day, when wandering down the driveway, he noticed a funny bump on a willow tree. After some investigation, it turned out to be a gall caused by a tiny critter with a huge name: a willow beaked gall midge, and Sam has been finding lumps on leaves, funny-shaped flowers, and spots on twigs ever since.

He has also partnered with several organizations to host gall workshops, including the Minnesota DNR, the Sax-Zim Bog, WTIP, and Wolf Ridge ELC. Sam also enjoys eating things he finds outside, cross-country skiing, and power naps on the couch with Rowan the Cat. Galls, burls, and brooms! Oh my!

This presentation will focus on exploring the lilliputian world of galls, burls, witches’ brooms, and non-metazoan plant diseases, as well as the plants they grow on. Galls (no relation to sea gulls) are little hidden insect homes inside plants. You’ve seen some before, such as the ping-pong-ball-sized lumps on goldenrod.

During the presentation and the following outing, we’ll discover an awe-inspiring world that you’ve overlooked your entire life!

We will start with a PowerPoint with some general information before heading out for a hike, training our eyes to notice lumpy leaves and other plant deformities, perfecting our identification skills as we go! We will find many new-to-you species and are guaranteed to come across some species unknown to science! We’ll also stop to appreciate all the other cool stuff we find along the way! By the end of the presentation, you’ll never be able to walk in the woods without seeing a gall, burl, broom, or other non-metazoan (not animal-made) plant disease ever again!

All presentations are family-friendly and free to the public. Donations are always appreciated. Take your time driving up the Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway!