Ecology of the saddle gall midge Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae)

Abstract

Since 1956 the saddle gall midge Haplodiplosis marginata has been a pest of wheat and barley in many European countries. The distribution areas and time of outbreaks in different countries are presented. The flight period is not dependant only upon temperature and moisture conditions but has some genetic basis. Most of the adults fly near the surface of the soil, but both males and females were also caught at heights of 4–6 m above the soil. There were no differences in number of adults captured in traps of different coloured paints. Males are attacted to short wave length light. The best method for evaluation of sex ratio is the use of box emergence traps. Large differences were found between infestation levels of different varieties of wheat, barley and rye. The damage level depends mainly on the phenology of planting. The infestation of earlier varieties is low, on late varieties and late planted varieties is high. Females laid their eggs on many plants, but only on part of the grasses can larvae survive. Based on this phenomenon the grasses were divided into five ecological groups. The population dynamics of H. marginata is influenced by larval mortality during the development in the soil, by sex ratio of adults, by the influence of insecticides and growth regulators, by insect and host plant relationships, by the influence of weather conditions and by agricultural practices. Zusammenfassung Zur Ökologie der Sattelmücke Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) Seit 1956 kommt die Sattelmücke Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) als Schädling in vielen europäischen Ländern vor. Das Areal des Vorkommens und die Zeiten von Massenvermehrungen in den einzelnen Staaten sind in Abb. 1 A‐C dargestellt. Die Hauptursache dafür, daß H. marginata zu einem ernsten Schüdling wurde, liegt in der Intensivierung der Pflanzenproduktion, in wiederholtem Anbau von Getreide sowie in der Auswahl von hochproduktiven Getreidesorten, die ihre natürliche Resistenz gegen diese Gallmücke verloren haben. Die Flugperiode ist nicht nur von der Temperatur und Feuchtigkeit abhängig. Die Hauptmasse der Imagines fliegt nahe der Bodenoberfläche, doch wurden Männchen wie auch Weibchen bis in 4–6 m Höhe festgestellt. Unterschiede im Anflug an verschiedenfarbige Leimplatten wurden nicht beobachtet. Die Männchen fliegen während der Nacht bevorzugt an kurzwelliges Licht. Zur Beurteilung des Sexualindices eignen sich besonders an der Oberfläche des Bodens liegende Photoeklektoren. Bei anderen Methoden sind die Männchen auf Grund ihrer Aktivität im Übergewicht. Große Unterschiede wurden im Befall verschiedener Sorten Weizen, Gerste und Roggen gefunden. Der Befall ist von der Phänologie der Pflanzen abhängig. Bei Frühsorten und Frühsaaten ist der Befall niedrig. Die Weibchen legen ihre Eier an vielen Pflanzenarten (einschließlich Unkräutern) ab, aber nur an wenigen Gräser‐Arten können die Larven überleben und ihre Entwicklung vollenden. Auf Grund der Wirtspflanzenbindung wurden die Gräser in 5 Gruppen unterteilt. Die Populat...

Four Common Insects of Durum Wheat Cultivations in Western Macedonia, Greece

“…The economic threshold has to be decided in accordance to insect population size [19] and both size and population fluctuations because of the difficulties in predictions [2]. The relatively low populations found in our study may indicate low level of danger on crop production [9,10], but the unstable populations of the most multitudinous insect species H. marginata and C. pygmaeus may cover a possible danger, especially for H. marginata which in specific years can be found in great numbers, causing severe damages to wheat (and other cereal) crops [4,6]. This damage danger implies extensive monitoring in order to apply insect control 4 ISRN Agronomy techniques in time [6,10,20].…”

“…Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is widespread in Europe and may harm many species of cultivated and wild cereal plants [4][5][6]. Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), the hessian fly or barley midge, is a very important pest of cereal crops including wheat, rye, and barley [7].…”

Identification of 1-methyloctyl butanoate as the major sex pheromone component from females of the saddle gall midge, Haplodiplosis marginata (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

“…Fullygrown larvae leave the stems after rain, usually from midJune to mid-July, and enter the soil where they hibernate. While a portion of the population can remain in diapause up to 6 years, most larvae move up to the surface of the soil the following spring to pupate and emerge as adults 14-25 days later (Nijveldt and Hulshoff 1968;De Clercq and D'Herde 1972;Golightly and Woodville 1974;Skuhravý et al 1983Skuhravý et al , 1993.…”

Adult behavior of an ambrosia gall midge Illiciomyia yukawai (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and synchronization between its emergence and host plant phenology

“…This emergence pattern is similar to that of Haplodiplosis marginata (Roser) (Skuhravý et al . ), M. pustulae (Yukawa & Sunose ) and Stenodiplosis geniculati Reuter (Barnes ) but differs from that of many other diurnal gall midges, of which males and females start to emerge after sunrise as has been noted for Contarinia merceri Barnes, Contarinia tritici (Kirby), Dasineura alopecuri (Reuter) (Barnes ), Celticecis japonica Yukawa & Tsuda (Yukawa & Tsuda ) and P. neolitseae (Yukawa et al . ).…”

“…Barnes , , ; Skuhravý et al . ; McKay & Hatchett ; Miller & Borden ; Sharma & Vidyasagar ; Ishidoro & Solinas ; Kolesik ; Pivnick ; see also Yukawa & Rohfritsch and Tokuda for review).…”