Gallica: a raspberry pest and how to deal with it

Gall midge on raspberries: a description of the pest

If you didn't already know, gall midge is one of the dangerous pests for raspberries. She is able not only to harm her, but also to completely destroy the crop. If you notice that the stems of the raspberry have thickened and growths have appeared, this may be a sign of the appearance of a gall midge. But not only gall midge can harm raspberries, there are other pests that do not mind eating your crop. But the fact is that many pests are not capable of causing significant harm to raspberries. What can not be said about the raspberry gall midge fly. Translated from Latin, galla means a neoplasm in certain places of a plant that is caused by insect pests. Most often, in raspberries, the stem and young shoot of replacement are exposed to infection. Gauls are of two varieties: stem and shoot.

Raspberry galitsa photo

Sprout gall midge

It is fashionable to face this pest from mid-summer until autumn. If you notice that an annular swelling in the form of an outgrowth or a bump has appeared on the stem, it means that the raspberry bush is sick with gall midge. Usually, such growths can be found at the very bottom of the stems, closer to the roots. Where the gall midge larvae are located, the stem can be easily broken. Most often, one larva corresponds to one swelling on the shoot. If you break the stem where there is a bulge, then you can make out the larva, which is up to 12 mm long. The larva can be light yellow or light green in color. The color of the shoot raspberry gall midge depends on the color of the juice it uses. First, the predatory gall midge lives and develops on raspberries alone, in its nest. Further, she leaves her shelter on the surface of the shoots, then gets to the soil. Coming out of the soil, it takes the form of a small mosquito.

Before the onset of the first frost, several generations of raspberry gall midge may appear. The last gall midge larvae spend the winter season in the ground. Keep in mind that the gall midge is a mobile insect. Even if you pull the larvae to the surface while loosening the soil, after a couple of minutes they will go deep into the soil again.

How to deal with gall midge on raspberries

It is important to note that small mosquitoes like those raspberry bushes that have been infected with didimella - purple spot. Therefore, a successful fight against gall midge is a successful fight against mosquitoes.

With the beginning of spring, when you notice that the buds have begun to bloom, you need to cut off the buds that are from the bottom to a height of 45-80 cm with scissors. You are guided based on the height of the stem. You should also spray the stems with Bordeaux liquid, this will help prevent further spread of the disease. It is also recommended to constantly inspect raspberries throughout the season, paying special attention to the stems. If you notice that gall midge has appeared on the stems, then immediately remove such an infected stem. So, how to treat raspberries from gall midges? To do this, you need to cut off the growth with a knife, remove the contents, be sure to remove the larva and kill it. The resulting wound must be covered with cement, garden varnish, clay or even oil paint. This is the most affordable and effective method. After such processing, raspberries are capable of producing crops.

How not to lose your harvest

It is best to prune the raspberry bush, while leaving one or two shoots as a reserve as a substitute.
Choose a raspberry variety that has good immunity to disease and frost.
Use products that repel mosquitoes.
Gallica midge does not tolerate the smell of onions and garlic, so you can plant them near raspberry bushes.

Gallica insect on raspberries photo

If you carry out activities related to the fight against gall midge and use remedies for gall midge, as well as take preventive measures, then you can always get a good and healthy raspberry harvest.