Pear Midge. 
271 
The red-currant plant is almost always the one to be 
attacked by this pest, but the black currant is not immune, 
as cases have been recorded in which it has suffered severely. 
Pear Midge ( Diplosis pirivora). 
During the past year this pest has made its appearance in 
new localities and generally to such an extent as to suggest 
that it was previously present, but had escaped observation. 
It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that many fruit growers 
suffer from it to a slight extent without being at all aware of 
the fact. This is most unfortunate, because the trouble and 
expense entailed in exterminating it are comparatively small 
if its first appearance in an orchard is noticed, but if it obtains 
a firm hold on the trees the result is sure to be very disastrous. 
It is quite natural that a pest should only attract attention 
when it causes considerable injury, but there are cases when 
it is desirable not to wait until it thrusts itself thus disagreeably 
upon one’s notice, and surely this is true with 
regard to the pear midge. Here is a pest whose 
presence can be easily recognised by any one, 
and which is at present the cause of great loss 
to many fruit growers. Moreover, experience 
has shown that there is a great danger of over- 
looking it in its early stages. Why wait, then, 
until a wholesale destruction of pear fruit sud- 
denly compels attention ? Nothing is easier than 
to make a point of examining the pear trees next 
May whether or not there is any reason to believe Fl fested _ by a pear 
they have suffered in the past. There is very S'themaggobf 
little doubt that if fruit growers could be per- 
suaded to do this, the pest would be banished from many an 
orchard before it had had time to establish itself thoroughly. 
It is only thirteen years ago since the pear midge was first 
recorded in England. Now there is scarcely a county in the 
south of England from which complaints of its ravages have 
not been received, and it still continues to spread. It threatens 
rapidly to become not less formidable than the big-bud disease 
of black currants if nothing is done to check it. 
I would ask all who have pear trees to make a point of 
inspecting them next May shortly after the fruit has set. If 
all the fruit seems healthy, well and good. But if some of 
the pears appear stunted and deformed, as indicated in the 
accompanying figure, they should be picked off and opened. 
If the pear midge is at work, they will be found to contain 
numerous white legless grubs, precisely like cheese maggots, 
and like them, able to jump by applying head and tail together 
and separating them suddenly. 
