SB 

 818 

 C578 

 ENT 



Circular No. 147. 



Issued April 6, 1912. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

 L. O. HOWARD, Entomologist and Chief of Bureau. 



THE ALFALFA GALL MIDGE. ^ 



(Asphondylia nuki Wachtl.) .2-J2. I 3 4-^ 



By Ffyi. Webster, 

 In Charge of Cereal and Forage Insect InrestigationH, 



INTRODUCTION. 



The object in publishing a circuhir on the alfalfa gall midge 

 {Asphondylia miki Wachtl) at the present time is to direct the atten- 

 tion, especially of alfalfa growers in the southwest- 

 ern portion of the country, to the appearance of this 

 foreign insect in the United States, with the hope 

 that they will be led to observe the galled pods 

 shown in figures 1, 2, and 3 and report the occur- 

 rence of the same to this bureau. 



As a matter of fact, we do not knoAv and can not 

 foresee Avhat injuries this insect will cause in this 

 country, though it has not so far proved destructive. 

 We do not wish to cause any undue apprehension 

 relative to its effects, but feel that we ought to bring 

 its presence in alfalfa fields to the attention of 

 farmers, so that it may be carefulh^ watched. 



It has not, therefore, been thought necessary to 

 publish here a full technical description of the midge 

 beyond what is shown in the illustration (fig, 4). 



Galls, from which this insect was afterwards 

 reared, were first found in limited numbers by Mr. 

 C. N. Ainslie, of this bureau, at Sacaton, Ariz., on 

 the Pima Indian Reservation, June 1-2. 1900, Galls 

 identical with these were also found in the same 

 locality by ]\Ir. V. L. Wildermuth, of this bureau. 

 June 10, 1910, They were found about Tempe and Phoenix, Ariz., 

 June 16, 1911, by Mr. E. G. Smyth, of this bureau, in about the same 



25576°— Cir. 147—12 



Fig. 1. — A head of 

 alfalfa with all 

 of the seed pods 

 galled by the al- 

 falfa gall midge 

 (Asphondylia 

 milii) except the 

 uppermost, which 

 is but sliRhtly af- 

 fected. Slightly 

 enlarged. (Orig- 

 inal.) 



