Pear leaf gall midge; this fragile three-mm midge belongs to the gall midge family. This gall midge overwinters as a larva in a cocoon in the soil.
Also known as:
Pear leaf midge
Pear Leafcurling Midge
Pear leaf gall midge (Dasineura pyri). This fragile three-mm midge belongs to the gall midge family (Cecidomyiidae). This gall midge overwinters as a larva in a cocoon in the soil. After pupating in April, the midge lays eggs in the tops of still-young pear shoots. The larvae suck plant sap from the young leaves, forming small greenish-yellow galls. The leaf remains coiled, galls and leaves die, and the leaf turns black. The affected pear leaves dry up and fall off.
The pear leaf gall midge has three generations per year.
Earwigs, predatory bugs and parasitic wasps are the natural enemies of the pear leaf gall midge.
Where to find
- Pear tree
Control
Remove infested leaves.
Predatory bugs, a natural enemy, are commercially available.
Prevention
A flock of chickens among the pear trees in early spring when the pear trees have not yet sprouted can prevent infestation by the pear leaf gall midge: the chickens look for cocoons with the larvae in the soil around the pear trees and eat them.
Make the natural enemies of the pear leaf gall midge – earwigs, parasitic wasps and predatory bugs – feel at home. A flowery environment attracts predatory bugs. An overturned flowerpot with some straw in it or a few dahlias attract earwigs.
