Gall or blossommidges are hard to control with insecticides because the larvae are inside the galls or buds where the insecticide can't reach them. The best method of control is to remove the infested parts of the plants and pick up all of the buds or other plant parts that drop to the ground. Hosts The blossommidge has a wide host range spanning at least six plant families, including the flower buds of or chids, plumeria, hibiscus, pikake (jasmine), white mus tard cabbage or pak choi, tomato, eggplant, pepper, po tato, bittermelon, and other vegetables and ornamentals. The orchid blossommidge is a member of the gall midge family (Cecidomyidae), so named for the galls that form inplants attacked by some species during their larval stage. Of these, bud worm and blossommidge gain major economic importance, as they cause excessive damage to the buds, which is the economic part of the plant [11]. The midge maggots enter into the buds at the base of the corollas resulting in swelling and shrivelling at the base of the buds. BlossomMidges are small flies that significantly harm the plants in your garden. Destructive flies, they can knot plant stems and foliage, preventing flowers from budding. Continue reading for details on bloom midge prevention. Avoid planting of alternate host plants such as tomato, brinjal and bitter gourd around the main cropped area. Rake the soil to kill the pupae in the ground. Prune the bushes during winter. The identity and host plants of blossommidgein Hawaii (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Contarinia) (Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station. Technical paper) Unknown Binding – . Orchid blossommidge (Contarinia maculipennis Felt.) is a tiny Cecidomyiid fly that infests cut flowers such as orchids, jasmine, and tuberose. As a small insect, the midge can adapt to various environments, evolving new survival strategies, including overcoming climatic barriers. values of treatments were then compared using DMRT. Results and discussion. There were no pre-treatment differences in the numbers of bud worm and blossommidge on the jasmine plants to be sprayed or those to be left unsprayed. Minnu VJ, Allwin L, Elanchezhyan K, Manivannan MI, Rajinimala N. Integrated pest management strategies for the invasive orchid blossommidge (Contarinia maculipennis Felt.). Plant Sci. Today [Internet]. Blossommidge adults have been reared from larvae found in festing the flower buds of all the plants listed in table 1. In addition, with but a few exceptions, midges were reared to the adult stage to provide the records which are listed under each host. Blossommidge: Total number of buds and number of infested buds were recorded in 5 randomly selected shoots in 10 plants. The extent of damage was expressed in per cent bored buds. As a tropical organism, the midge is very unlikely to establish outdoors. Economic impact The midge has had a major economic impact under glass in Japan and Florida. If UK orchid growers became infested, the crop damage is likely to lead to unmarketable plants or crops. Gall BlossomMidgeInPlants How To Control Midge Pests In Flower Buds.Gall or blossommidges are hard to control with insecticides because the larvae are inside the galls or buds where the insecticide can't reach them.
