Dasineura gleditchiae
Pest description and damage The honeylocust pod gall midge is a tiny (0.1 inch) orange gnat. The small bright pink maggots feed within the galls that are deformed, thickened, and pod like leaves. The larvae are sheltered inside the deformed leaves. Infested leaves may dry and drop from the tree. Small shoots are killed. Although trees are unlikely to be killed, the ornamental quality of the tree may be lost. Thornless varieties of honeylocust are especially subject to damage. Damage from this gall maker is most noticeable in nurseries, but less objectionable in landscapes, especially if the tree is viewed from a distance.
Biology and life history The midge overwinters as pupae in cocoons in the upper two inches of soil near the base of the tree trunks (generally within one foot of the trunk). The adults emerge and form small swarms around the tips of leaves, as the trees are just beginning to leaf out. Adult midges deposit eggs on new foliage along the rachis or on the edges of developing leaf buds. The first pod gall midge eggs generally are found during the last week of March through the first week of April. The eggs usually hatch in two days. The young larvae crawl along the leaf and begin feeding. Only one larva is required to initiate galling of the leaf. Soon after this initial generation, the populations appear continuously with many life stages present. There are multiple generations each year, as little as three to four weeks apart.
Management-cultural control
Prune out infested growths.
Management-chemical control
See Table 3:
Chemical Control of Landscape Pests
For more information
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