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A Colossal report published in October 2026 features Timothy Boomer’s close-up photographs of insect galls, many induced by cynipid wasps on California oaks. Boomer says he uses focus stacking to show the tiny structures clearly and limits editing to preserve how they appeared in nature.
Photographer Timothy Boomer is documenting the intricate shapes of insect galls in a Colossal feature published in October 2026, using close-up photography to show structures that can be tiny and difficult to see unaided. The images focus largely on galls induced by cynipid wasps on California oaks, where the growths house and feed developing larvae.
Galls form when an organism prompts a plant to grow abnormal tissue around it. In the case of cynipid wasps, the report explains, chemicals introduced by larvae induce the plant to create a structure that serves as both shelter and food. If development proceeds as expected, a larva grows inside the gall before emerging as an adult wasp.
The photographs include an urchin gall on blue oak, red cone galls on valley oak leaves, a beaked twig gall and a close-up of a disc gall’s surface. The locations listed in the report include Solano and Napa counties in California. The structures vary in form and color, from spiked or ridged surfaces to pink, red and brown tones.
Boomer told Colossal he concentrates on cynipid-induced galls because he finds them visually striking. To bring the small subjects into focus, he takes hundreds or sometimes thousands of images and digitally layers them, a process known as focus stacking. He said he makes minimal Photoshop edits and aims to show the natural scene rather than enhance it.
Making Tiny Plant Structures Visible
Boomer’s photographs make visible a relationship that is easy to overlook: an insect’s development can shape the tissue of a host plant into a distinctive structure. The images are a record of natural variation, as well as an accessible way to see the protective chambers associated with wasp larvae.
The work also shows how macro photography depends on technique. Because a gall may be very small and a single exposure may not keep its surface in focus, focus stacking lets Boomer combine multiple images into a clearer view. His stated preference for minimal editing matters to readers interpreting the pictures as documentation of forms found in nature.
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How Wasp Galls Develop
The Colossal report describes galls as growths induced by organisms including insects, with Boomer’s work centered on those associated with cynipid wasps. A gall’s shape and the part of the plant where it forms can differ among wasp species. The report says scientists estimate there are at least around 1,300 cynipid species globally.
Not every gall develops in the same way. Boomer points to an atypical spined turban gall, which he says was affected when a non-inducing organism entered it early in development. He compared the event to a “home invasion” that alters the gall. The report does not identify the intruding organism or provide a scientific account of the changes, so the explanation remains Boomer’s interpretation rather than a detailed research finding.
““Galls can be brought about by many different organisms, but I tend to focus on the ones induced by cynipid wasps because they are the most visually stunning (at least in my opinion).””
— Timothy Boomer, speaking to Colossal
What the Images Cannot Establish
The feature is a photographic report, not a scientific study. It does not provide independent verification of the cause of the atypical gall’s appearance, nor does it detail how the reported non-inducer affected its development. Boomer says he is not a scientist and presents the “home invasion” description as a way of thinking about the event.
The report also does not give a complete inventory of the photographed specimens or establish how representative they are of each species. Its estimate of at least around 1,300 cynipid species is presented as scientific understanding, but no specific study or date for that estimate is cited in the supplied material.
Where to See More of Boomer’s Work
The Colossal feature directs readers to Boomer’s Instagram account, where his photographs also cover subjects such as slime molds and flowers. The report does not announce a forthcoming exhibition, book or research project, and it gives no schedule for additional gall photography.
Readers can view the published images alongside the locations and species names supplied in the feature. Further information about the unusual gall’s development or the scientific identification of its intruder would require additional reporting or study; no such follow-up is announced in the source material.
Key Questions
What are insect galls?
Insect galls are abnormal plant growths induced by insects or other organisms. In cynipid wasps, the gall can shelter and provide food for a developing larva.
How does Timothy Boomer photograph the tiny galls?
Boomer told Colossal that he uses focus stacking, taking hundreds or sometimes thousands of images and layering them digitally to make small subjects appear clearly in focus.
Where were the galls photographed?
The feature lists locations in Solano and Napa counties, California, including sites around Vacaville and Lake Berryessa. Several photographs show galls on valley oak or blue oak.
Why does one spined turban gall look unusual?
Boomer said a non-inducing organism entered the gall early and interrupted its normal development. The feature does not identify that organism or provide independent confirmation of the explanation.
Does Boomer heavily edit the photographs?
Boomer told Colossal that he edits minimally in Photoshop and wants to share what occurs naturally. Focus stacking is used to increase clarity across the tiny subject.
Source: thisiscolossal.com
