Southern cone gall midge, Cecidomyia bisetosa Gagne (32)

BIOLOGY. - Adults emerge in late January from hypertrophied (swollen) conelets. Eggs apparently are laid between new flower scales, and larvae develop slowly in the scales during the year of
conelet growth. Infested conelet scales hypertrophy in response to larval presence. Mature larvae overwinter in conelet.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Mature larvae are pale reddish-orange, about 3 mm long. Adults are delicate mosquito-like flies.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested conelets show grossly enlarged scales; sometimes nearly all scales are involved. Larvae are more or less embedded in the affected scales. Heavily infested conelets die following insect emergence; lightly damaged conelets may continue to develop into deformed cones.

IMPORTANCE. - This insect was only recently found and described from northeastern Florida. In the area of infestation, damage varied from tree to tree with as high as 32 percent of the conelets infested.

Slash pine conelet damage by the southern cone gall midge. (2 1/2X)