Jack pine resin midge

Larvae extracted from pitch mass (length: about 4 mm) Thérèse Arcand

French common name: Cécidomyie résineuse du pin gris
Scientific name: Cecidomyia resinicola (Osten Sacken)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Cecidomyiidae
Partial list of synonyms:
- Cecidomyia reeksi Vockeroth

Distribution

Canada

Damage, symptoms and biology

Reddened annual shoots with resin drops at their base point to the presence of the jack pine resin midge. The larvae feed on the resin drops and damage young tissues, killing the annual shoots. Severe attacks can kill young jack pines.

The partially grown larvae overwinter in masses of resin on twigs, where they change into pupae in early spring.

Other information

Annual outbreaks of the jack pine resin midge have occurred in Canada since 1963, mainly affecting plantations in central Quebec and south central Ontario, along with natural stands in western Quebec. Today, the insect occasionally appears in seed orchards as well.In the Prairie provinces, it has caused damage to trees already weakened by Jack pine budworm.

The species can be controlled on isolated trees and in plantations by pruning affected shoots. It is important to remove the sections with resin and to burn all of the material.