2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Raspberry stem gall midge is almost ubiquitous and is very fond of raspberries and blackberries. As a result of the vigorous activity of these voracious parasites, bizarre spindle-shaped galls begin to form on raspberry shoots, the width of which is about 20 mm, and the length is about 30 mm. As a rule, such formations are characterized by a hard surface, and from the inside, the galls are filled with a loose tissue resembling sawdust. Gradually, the shoots attacked by pests die off, which cannot but affect the volumes of the long-awaited harvest
Meet the pest
The adults of raspberry stem gall midges are from 2 to 2.5 mm in size. Usually they are black with narrow brownish backs. The antennae of the pests are equipped with four segments, their legs are painted in brown tones, and the transparent wings cover the short hairs quite evenly.
Voracious larvae usually grow up to 4 mm in length, are painted in reddish tones and have well-developed two-membered antennae.
Larvae pupate most often in April. And the imago starts approximately in May or June. Raspberries usually bloom during this period. After some time, the females begin to lay eggs on young shoots, placing them in groups of eight to fifteen pieces each. Revived harmful larvae make their way under the shoot bark and start feeding on vegetation juices. As a result of such nutrition, numerous galls are formed on berry bushes, ringing the shoots and thereby disrupting the full movement of juices along the stalks. Several galls can often be observed on one stalk.
Galls are especially clearly distinguishable in autumn, when the bark on their surfaces begins to slowly crack and separate from the branches. As a rule, larvae often overwinter in them, and up to eleven individuals can be concentrated in one gall at a time. And these parasites pupate without leaving the Gauls they love.
Raspberry stem gall midges weaken the berry bushes attacked by them to such an extent that purple spotting often begins to develop on them. Spores of fungi-causative agents of this destructive disease penetrate plants through the bark that has lost its integrity and begin to develop at lightning speed.
How to fight
For planting raspberry bushes, only healthy planting material should be selected. The soil under them must be dug not only in late autumn - early spring digging will also be very useful. It is important to systematically thin out all berry bushes, and shoots attacked by raspberry stem gall midges must be cut out and promptly burned.
Raspberry bushes are sprayed with approved insecticides before flowering. If one treatment is not enough, you can repeat it after the harvest of fragrant raspberries is fully harvested. Usually, re-processing is required if harmful parasites have infested about 20 - 25% of raspberry bushes.
Most often, plantings of raspberries are sprayed with one percent Bordeaux liquid. By the way, this remedy helps to effectively fight not only with raspberry stem gall midges, but also with a number of other pests that provoke the development of such dangerous ailments as purple spot and anthracnose. After the autumn digging of the soil, spraying of raspberry bushes is recommended to be repeated.
A good effect can be achieved during treatments with the Karbofos emulsion (0, 1 - 0, 2%). In addition to raspberry stem gall midge, this preparation can also get rid of raspberry aphids, raspberry beetle, strawberry-raspberry weevil and raspberry fly. And if you add copper oxychloride (0.3%) to the saving emulsion, you get a composition for combating raspberry spotting.
Recommended:
Tiny Currant Flower Gall Midge
Currant flower gall midge inhabits almost the entire territory of Russia. And it harms the plantings of black currant. Buds damaged by pests grow unnaturally, turn orange-black and die pretty quickly. Sometimes they can be painted in a pale yellow color with a slight lilac tint. Only one generation of currant flower gall midges manages to develop per year, but this is more than enough to lose a significant part of the berry harvest
Disgusting Sage Gall Midge
Sage gall midge lives in the southern regions of Russia and damages mainly clary sage. The larvae feeding on sage plantings damage the ovaries, which subsequently darken and dry out. And the walls of the flower cups at the same time noticeably grow and are strongly deformed. Flower twigs attacked by sage gall midges shorten and in most cases dry out. If the sage is inhabited by disgusting pests strongly enough, then the growth of plants stops, they themselves deform
Dangerous Pear Fruit Gall Midge
Pear fruit gall midge, which damages young pear fruits, is found almost everywhere. Fruits, attacked by voracious larvae, first grow at an incredible speed, significantly outstripping healthy ones in size. And after the larvae, which have eaten them entirely, begin to move into the soil, the brown damaged pears shrivel and crack, and after a while they completely dry out. If you do not fight this garden pest, crop losses can easily reach 50
Dangerous Raspberry Shoot Gall Midge
Raspberry sprout gall midge loves to feast on not only raspberries - it can often be found on strawberries with blackberries. And she lives in almost all regions where these juicy fragrant berries are grown. The larvae are especially harmful to the shoots - in the places of their feeding, the formation of brownish specks begins, which subsequently turn black and grow, covering rather impressive areas of the shoots. The damaged areas are gradually colonized by saprophytic fungi, and the shoot bark begins to shake off
We Fight Currant Shoot Gall Midge
Currant shoot gall midge lives mainly in the forest-steppe and woodlands and damages the fragrant currant. The middle zone of Russia is a fertile habitat for these parasites. The most favorable conditions for the development of these enemies of currants are wet areas, on which a moderate temperature regime is established with the beginning of the growing season. The main harm is caused by the larvae of currant eaters - in addition to eating plant tissues, they are also quite poisonous
