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<FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER"><A NAME="QuickMark"></A>WHAT'S INSIDE GOLDENROD GALLS?</P>
</FONT><P>PURPOSE: To discover what is inside the galls (stem swellings) on goldenrod plants.</P>
<P>MATERIALS: 10 round goldenrod galls, paper towels, hand pruners or paring knife with a glove, dissection needle, tweezers, hand lens.</P>
<P>INTRODUCTION: In autumn, vacant city lots and country fields are covered with the yellow flowers of the goldenrod plant. In winter, the stark dry stems of the goldenrod plants poke up through the snow in these same places. If you look closely at goldenrod in fall or winter, you will see that some plants have swollen areas on the stem called <U>galls</U>. What causes the stem of the goldenrod to form into a gall? </P>
<P>PREDICTION:</P>
<P>1. Before you open the goldenrod galls to see what is inside, give some possible reasons why the galls formed. </P>
<P>PROCEDURE:
</P><IMG SRC="knife.jpg" ALIGN="RIGHT" alt="knife on gall" HSPACE=12 WIDTH=191 HEIGHT=99>
<P>A. Unfold and stack several paper towels to make a firm cutting surface. </P>
<P>B. With pruner partially cut through gall's equator, rotate gall about a quarter turn and cut again. The gall can usually be opened at this point without cutting the animal inside. If using a knife and glove, carefully insert the knife blade into the gall along its equator. Twist the knife until the gall pops open.</P>
<P>C. Your teacher will give you an identification key to help you find out what is inside the galls. Put a check mark on the key by the common name(s) of what you find inside your goldenrod galls.</P>
<P>DISCUSSION:</P>
<P>2. What was inside your goldenrod galls? List the common names.</P>
<P>3. Were any of the galls empty? What could have happened?</P>
<P>4. Why do you think only some and not all goldenrod plants have galls?</P>
<P>	KEY TO COMMON GOLDENROD GALL INSECTS</P><pre>
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1a. Long, narrow gall. . . . . Gall moth (Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaqinis);
or one of its wasp predators
1b. Round gall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2a. White or tan larva that moves when gently touched. . . . . . . . . . 3
2b. Brown pupa that does not move when touched . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3a. Large white larva (about 8mm long, 4mm wide) in a chamber with tunel .
Gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)
3b. Small white or tan larva (about 5mm long, 2mm wide) in chamber with
NO tunnel."Giant" wasp (Eurytoma gigantea)
4a. Large brown pupa (about 8mm long, 4mm wide) in chamber with tunnel . .
Gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)
4b. Smaller brown pupa (about 7 mm long, 2 mm wide) in chamber with NO
tunnel . . . Obtuse wasp (Eurytoma obtusiventris)
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