REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1918 Sf 
Signs of infestation. White heads or ‘‘ false heads’ in rye fields 
are very suggestive of wheat midge, though they may be produced 
by other causes. The white heads are generally empty, usually 
because the maggots have deserted them before the abnormal colora- 
tion attracted notice. A yellowish cast showing through the bracts 
covering the grain indicates the probable presence of small yellowish 
or orange-colored maggots and occasionally such heads may contain 
unexpected numbers of the pest. This yellowish color is seen only 
upon a moderately close examination. 
There are no equally marked signs of infestation in wheat heads 
owing to the fact that the more yellowish glumes protecting the wheat 
grains tend to conceal the yellowish maggots sheltering beneath. 
It is comparatively easy to tear open a few heads and the presence 
of maggots is indubitable evidence of infestation. One of the easiest 
ways of making an examination of ripening grain is to rub heads to 
pieces in the hollow of the hand and in most instances, if the pest is 
present, the minute yellowish maggots will drop out of the bracts. 
This method gives an approximate indication of the extent of injury 
and if from five to ten maggots are commonly found in a head the 
infestation may be considered moderately serious. 
Description. The small yellowish midges are delicate flies about 
one-sixteenth of an inch in length and with wings showing beautiful 
violet reflections. The male is easily recognized by its rather long, 
thickly haired antennae, apparently with nearly twice as many seg- 
ments as are found in the much shorter, more sparsely haired antennae 
of the female. These midges do not present characters apparent 
to the unaided eye which can be depended upon for their recognition 
in the field, though the chances are that small flies presenting the 
above characteristics and numerous in the wheat fields at the time the 
heads are beginning to develop would belong to this species. 
The maggots or larvae are pale yellowish when young and yellow- 
ish orange when full grown, moderately stout and at maturity about 
one-tenth of an inch long. They, like many gall midge larvae, have 
a distinct brown breastbone on the under side of the anterior extrem- 
ity, and are able to snap or throw themselves an inch or so. Maggots 
presenting these general characters and occurring in the heads of 
wheat and rye are in all probability those of this species. 
Recognition of these small insects is difficult and to aid those who 
wish to make a more serious study of the insect, the following tech- 
nical descriptions have been drafted. 
Larva. Length 2.5 mm, yellowish orange, stout. Head small, 
rather long; antennae stout, biarticulate; breastbone bidentate, the 
teeth diverging, obliquely truncate, the shaft long, slender and 
