How to Manage Pests

Pests in Gardens and Landscapes

Monterey pine midge—Thecodiplosis piniradiatae

Pine midges are very small. The adult midge is a tiny, grayish, delicate mosquitolike fly. Adults are similar in appearance to the honeylocust pod gall midge. White or orangish larvae can be seen in swollen needles.

Damage

The Monterey pine midge causes sections of shoots to have greatly shortened needles with swollen bases.

Solutions

Control is generally not warranted. No management is known.

Pupa and adult drawings of the Monterey pine midge, by Vernon L. Kellogg, 1905

Swollen pine needle bases

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