Pear Leafcurling Midge – Dasineura pyri

Pear Leafcurling Midge (Dasineura pyri) Latin Name: Dasineura pyri Common Name: Pear Leafcurling Midge Appearance:  Egg: The color is yellow, and the shape is elongated. 3mm long -A brilliant red eyespot forms shortly after an egg is placed; eggs are also characterized as reddish. Larva/Nymph: Legless, orange in hue for the first 2mm of its length before turning white. Adult: The adult is (1-2mm) a greyish black midge (small fly) -Females have a very long insect larva (up to length) Pupa (if applicable): The pupa is brown and cylindrical, about the same size as the mature larva. Hosts plants:  Only pear trees are infested by the pear leaf curling midge. Pear trees of several types are vulnerable to midge disease. Clapps Favorite, Red Bartlett, and Alexander seem to be particularly vulnerable. Anjou, Bosc, and Bartlett appear to be vulnerable in a mild way. Territory: Throughout North America Damage caused by Honeylocust Pod Gall Midge: Feeding by larvae curls infested leaves. Affected leaves are tightly rolled parallel to the midrib and have red, gall-like swellings. Later, infected leaves turn black and fall. Young trees with excessive terminal growth are particularly susceptible to attack. Extensive feeding damage can stunt young trees. Description about Leafminers: Leafminer adults are tiny flies that are 0.1 inches (2.5 mm) in length, are black to blue, and have yellow portions on their thorax, legs, and abdomen. At the base of the wings, there is usually a noticeable yellow area. The white eggs are placed just beneath the epidermis of the leaf and hatch in 4 to 6 days. In the mines where they feed, maggot larvae are usually hidden between leaf surfaces; they range in color from yellow to white, are 0.25 to 0.33 inches long, blunt at the back end, and pointed in front. Pupation takes place in mines or underground. The life cycle takes roughly 23 days throughout the summer.