First records of Cecidomyia candidipes (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Wisconsin

Abstract

Gagne (1978) presented a systematic analysis of Cecidomyia, the pitch midges, containing 11 species: eight from North America and three from Eurasia. Cecidomyia candidipes Foote (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyinae: Cecidomyini) has been reported in the literature from New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and New York exclusively on white pine, Pinus strobus Linnaeus. C. candidipes is of potential concern to agricultural commodity inspectors of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) as a potential pest of Christmas tree plantations. The first specimens were submitted to the author for identification in 1997. Scouting for white pine damage is done by looking for oozing pitch masses on the main trunk. The orange to pink colored larvae were found in the pitch while cocoons of pupae were found in the pitch, just outside the pitch and on bark or twigs well away from the pitch flow (D. Hall, personal communication). Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel field collected and incubated pupae at room temperature (65-70°F). Larvae were identified by R. L. Gagne of the Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Washington D.C. The first adult reared was identified by the author, confirmed by Gagne, and the remaining adults were identified by the author. All the specimens are deposited in the University of Wisconsin Insect Research Collection, Department of Entomology, Madison WI.