Basic bionomics of the lentil gall midge (Contarinia lentis Aczel) (Dipt., Cecidomyiidae)
1993
Kolesik, P. (Research Institute of Plant Production, Piestany (CSFR))
The bionomics of Contarinia lentis Aczel (lentil gall midge), a pest of Lens esculenta Moench (lentil), was studied in Czechoslovakia in 1986-1990. The adults emerged from the soil of fields in which lentils had been grown in the previous year from about the end of May until the beginning of July. The females emerged on average a day later than the males. The female sex index was between 0.31 and 0.52. The adults mated close to their sites of emergence. The females, containing on average 62 fully developed eggs, were blown by the wind at an elevation of about 2-3 m to new lentil fields. The number of females landing in the field decreased from the edge of the field to the middle. Gravid females laid their eggs in the buds of lentil flowers of 2-4.5 mm length. As soon as larvae hatched from the eggs and started to feed, plants responded by producing the typical infestation symptom - the flower bud gall. The number of larvae per gall increased with increasing infestation level of host plants. On average, 8 larvae per gall were found at infestation levels near 0% and 28 at levels of 80%. In July, larvae of the last instar dropped to the soil where they hibernated cocoons until the following spring. Immediately after crawling into the soil 96-99% of the cocoons were situated in the 0-100 mm soil stratum bud subsequent deep tillage and shallow cultivation, in September and October, respectively, redistributed the cocoons more less equally in the 0-250 mm stratum. Most of the cocoons developed into adults the following year. Three % of all cocoons diapaused - the adults emerged two or even three years after larvae entered the soil
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