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''Contarinia quinquenotata'' is a small
American Hemerocallis Society
for further images {{Taxonbar, from=Q13617374 Diptera of Europe Insect pests of ornamental plants Taxa named by Hermann Loew Cecidomyiinae
midge
A midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non- mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found (seasonally or otherwise) on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Some m ...
which infests the flower buds of ''Hemerocallis
A daylily or day lily is a flowering plant in the genus ''Hemerocallis'' , a member of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae. Despite the common name, it is not in fact a lily. Gardening enthusiasts and horticulturists hav ...
'', causing the buds to swell, remain closed and rot. It is a pest in several parts of the world.
It is known by the common names of daylily gall midge and hemerocallis gall midge.
Description
Adults are tiny greyish-brown midges about 2 mm long. Females deposit their eggs with their long, penetratingovipositor
The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typica ...
s on developing ''Hemerocallis'' flower buds during May through early July although this may vary by location. This fly is difficult to see when it is flying.
Life cycle
This fly is univoltine, having only one annual cycle. It mates shortly after emerging from its overwintering cocoon. Females lay eggs on developing ''Hemerocallis'' buds which hatch into 2-mm-long, elongate, legless white larvae. Their presence and feeding causes distortion of bud tissues and failure of buds to open. Infested buds characteristically become more globular than normal, tepals within buds become thickened, and a watery liquid is present between the tepals in which the larvae live. A few through hundreds of larvae live within a single bud. Larvae emerge from disfigured buds and enter the soil in which they pupate, spend the winter as pupae, and emerge as adults in the following spring.
Distribution
''Contarinia quinquenotata'' possibly originated in Asia where wild ''Hemerocallis'' are native although it was first recorded in Europe in the 1800s. The midge has been slowly spreading across the world in infested ''Hemerocallis'' plants and soil. This fly was first noted in theUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in 1989 and has now spread to many parts of the United Kingdom. It was first reported in Canada in 2001 and has spread into the USA.
The spread is assumed to occur from larvae within buds of imported plants or the soil in plant containers.
Commercial impact
Devaluation of infested plants by their failure to produce the attractive flowers favoured by gardeners for their colourful displays. Plants can safely be shipped only without their flower scapes, flower buds, and flowers and with bare roots. The need to control the midge by whatever means increases the cost of producing ''Hemerocallis'' plants.References
External links
American Hemerocallis Society
for further images {{Taxonbar, from=Q13617374 Diptera of Europe Insect pests of ornamental plants Taxa named by Hermann Loew Cecidomyiinae