Summary

Worldwide distribution. Sorghum (grain and forage), and wild grasses (especially Johnson grass). A major fly pest.
Larvae eat the young seed heads.
Midge, mosquito-like, orange, up to 2 mm long, clear wings, long antennae, and, for females, a long thin ovipositor. Eggs laid into flowers.
Eggs hatch, larvae are white then orange, 2.5 mm long, spindle shaped. Pupae on the flower head. Some larvae go into resting phase, up to 5 years.
Spread occurs when grain is moved with larvae in resting phase.
Natural enemies: several parasitoid wasps, but only partially effective.
Cultural control: plant early; weed grasses; increase seeding rate; rotate with sugar cane or peanuts; legume intercrops; burn stubble; resistant varieties.
Chemical control: if >1-2 midges/head at flowering apply synthetic pyrethroids.

Common Name

Sorghum midge

Scientific Name

Stenodiplosis sorghicola; previously, Contarinia sorghicola.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
¹Information from Swaine G (1971) Agricultural Zoology in Fiji. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. London; and CABI (2015) Stenodiplosis sorghicola (sorghum midge) Crop Protection Compendium (www.cabi.org/cpc); and from Sorghum midge. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government. (https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/plants/field-crops-and-pastures/broadacre-field-crops/integrated-pest-management/a-z-insect-pest-list/sorghum-midge). Diagram Mississippi State University Extension. (http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/information-sheets/sorghum-midge-control). Photo 1 Alton N. Sparks, Jr., University of Georgia. Bugwood.org.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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