For years I have heard of the infamous "weed worm" throughout the midwest, but last year I became very well acquainted with them. If you live in the midwest, and have been blazing for a long time, you may have found a tiny little orange worm the size of a grain of rice in a bag here and there. This is a gall midge.
The larvae of the gall midge burrow throughout the stalk of the host plant, and leave behind little holes and frass which lead to bacterial and fungal infections, and ultimately death. Why are they hard to control?
"Cecidomyiidae are also known for the strange phenomenon of paedogenesis in which the larval stage reproduces without maturing first. Even stranger in some species the daughter larvae produced within a mother larva consume the mother and in others the reproduction occurs in the egg or pupa."
More information:
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/flies/gall_midge/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecidomyiidae
http://www.joensuu.fi/biologia/nyman/InsectsOnAspenGallinducers.htm
^A few kinds of midges, and other common gall inducers.
Last year I thought what I had was a stem borer, as I found "frass" along the stems, so I ended up spraying ALL YEAR LONG, just to attempt to control (could not successfully eradicate) them. This year they came back with a vengeance and totally obliterated every plant I had. The stalks, five inches wide, swelled with galls, and eventually turned white and rotted away from the bottom up. Since then, I have found these galls in valleys, on the top of bluffs, in grassy areas. It seems they are everywhere, and they are not only attacking my plants, but also indigenous species of hemp/feral weed too!
I have not found a way to eradicate these bastards, so I am making this PSA to warn everyone: Superficially, Gall Midge larvae and frass look a lot like Stem Borers, but they are much more of a pain in the ass, and unstoppable as far as I can see. So before you pick your outdoor spot, have a look at the surrounding vegetation in the fall. If you see anything like this:
Pictures of galls a.k.a nests where the larvae grow:
<See the frass hole?
Pictures of the larvae:
Stay far away! BEWARE the gall midge, and choose your plots wisely. I've learned my lesson the hard way. If anyone has anything to add, or solutions, PLEASE drop off your knowledge here. Also, feel free to correct any misleading information I have posted. I threw all of this together quick just to raise awareness, as I've never seen anyone mention this pest before. I'm not YET a gall midge expert, but I hope this will help others who are afflicted by this mysterious pest.
Peace.
The larvae of the gall midge burrow throughout the stalk of the host plant, and leave behind little holes and frass which lead to bacterial and fungal infections, and ultimately death. Why are they hard to control?
"Cecidomyiidae are also known for the strange phenomenon of paedogenesis in which the larval stage reproduces without maturing first. Even stranger in some species the daughter larvae produced within a mother larva consume the mother and in others the reproduction occurs in the egg or pupa."
More information:
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/flies/gall_midge/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecidomyiidae
http://www.joensuu.fi/biologia/nyman/InsectsOnAspenGallinducers.htm
^A few kinds of midges, and other common gall inducers.
Last year I thought what I had was a stem borer, as I found "frass" along the stems, so I ended up spraying ALL YEAR LONG, just to attempt to control (could not successfully eradicate) them. This year they came back with a vengeance and totally obliterated every plant I had. The stalks, five inches wide, swelled with galls, and eventually turned white and rotted away from the bottom up. Since then, I have found these galls in valleys, on the top of bluffs, in grassy areas. It seems they are everywhere, and they are not only attacking my plants, but also indigenous species of hemp/feral weed too!
I have not found a way to eradicate these bastards, so I am making this PSA to warn everyone: Superficially, Gall Midge larvae and frass look a lot like Stem Borers, but they are much more of a pain in the ass, and unstoppable as far as I can see. So before you pick your outdoor spot, have a look at the surrounding vegetation in the fall. If you see anything like this:
Pictures of galls a.k.a nests where the larvae grow:
Pictures of the larvae:
Stay far away! BEWARE the gall midge, and choose your plots wisely. I've learned my lesson the hard way. If anyone has anything to add, or solutions, PLEASE drop off your knowledge here. Also, feel free to correct any misleading information I have posted. I threw all of this together quick just to raise awareness, as I've never seen anyone mention this pest before. I'm not YET a gall midge expert, but I hope this will help others who are afflicted by this mysterious pest.
Peace.
