Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Cold-Water Misting of Trees in Seed Orchards for Control of Douglas-fir Cone Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

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Abstract
Misting of trees with cold water for delaying reproductive bud burst was evaluated as a control method for Contarinia oregonensis Foote. This method reduced damage to the same degree as was achieved with the insecticide dimethoate when a 10-day delay in seed-cone bud burst coincided with the earliest “flowering” trees being the most heavily attacked. Gall midge damage was not reduced to an acceptable level with less than a 10-day delay or when later-flowering trees were the most heavily attacked. It is not possible to determine the likely effectiveness of cold-water misting before bud burst in a given year, because the period of bud burst delay varies with weather and because synchrony between presence of adult midges and susceptible host stage is not consistent.

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