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Publication #EENY-035

 

Citrus Gall Midge, Prodiplosis longifila Gagné (Insecta: Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)1

J. E. Peña and F. W. Mead2

Introduction

The citrus gall midge, Prodiplosis longifila Gagné was first found in Florida by Rainwater (1934). This gall midge was collected on lime trees, Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle, at Homestead, Dade Co., Florida, during the fall of 1984 by the senior author. The adult was described in 1986 by R.J. Gagné.

Distribution

Gagné (1986) reported P. longifila from Florida, South America, and the West Indies.

Description

The adult midge is a small, black-yellowish fly about 1.5 mm in length. The wing lengths average 1.42 mm in males and 1.53 mm in females. The antenna lengths average 1.62 mm in males and 1.22 mm in females. The eggs are small, clear, about 0.27 mm in length. The larva is almost transparent when newly formed and yellowish during the last instar. A full grown larva is about 1.9 mm in length. The pupa is light yellowish when newly formed and black and yellowish near adult emergence. Eggs hatch in one to two days. Larval development requires eight to 12 days. The larvae drop to the ground where the pupal stage is passed. The pupal stage lasts four to five days, and adults typically live 1-2 days. Gagné (1986) has provided a key to adults of Nearctic species of Prodiplosis.

Figure 1. 

Adult (upper left), eggs (upper right), larva (lower left), pupa (lower right) of the citrus gall midge Prodiplosis longifila Gagné.


[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

Host Plants

This insect is known from limes, Citrus aurantifolia; tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum; potatoes, Solanum tuberosum, and wild cotton, Gossypium sp., etc.

Damage

The larva of P. longifila is a pest of limes (Pena et al. 1987). In 1984, heavy infestations were encountered attacking lime groves in Dade and Collier Counties. Larvae feed on flowers, damaging the epidermal cells of the ovary, pistils, and stamens. The mean number of larvae found per flower was 24.26.

Survey and Detection

Look for flowers with necrosed ovary, stamens, and petals. Where infestations are heavy there may be excessive flower drop.

Management

Control information is very limited for this pest. However, biological control has proven to be very effective (Peña et al. 1990). If control appears to be necessary, contact your local county Cooperative Extension Service agent.

Selected References

Gagné, R.J. 1986. Revision of Prodiplosis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) with description of three new species. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 79: 235-245.

Pena, J.E., R.M. Baranowski, and R.T. McMillan, Jr., 1987. Prodiplosis longifilia (Diptera:Cecidomyiidae), a new pest of citrus in Florida. Florida Entomologist 70: 527-529.

Pena, J.E., R. Gagné, and R. Duncan. 1989. Biology and Characterization of Prodiplosis longifila Gagné (Diptera:Cecidomyiidae) on Lime in Florida. Florida Entomologist 72: 444-450.

Peña JE, Duncan R, Torres V. 1990. Control of the citrus midge Prodiplosis longifila Gagné in southern Florida limes. Proceedings of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture 1990: 159-161.

Rainwater, C.F. 1934. Insects and a mite of potential economic importance found in wild cotton in Florida. Journal of Economic Entomology 27:756-761.

Footnotes

1.

This document is EENY-035 (IN162) (originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 312), one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. This document is also available on Featured Creatures website at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures. Publication Date: July 1998. Latest revision: May 2011. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

J. E. Peña and F. W. Mead, Entomology and Nematology Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.