PEAR MIDGE. 
53 
Cecidomyia nigra of Meigen, and similarly had the power of skipping 
(like cheese maggots) in all directions, a faculty which they make use 
of in springing from the Pears in which they have fed, to the ground. 
A little earlier in the year (on June 4th) an account of a similar 
attack, also not previously observed, was sent to me from Llanina, 
New Quay, South Wales, by Mr. C. R. Longcroft, who wrote as 
follows :— * 
“ I have sent you some specimens of Marie Louise Pears, of which 
there was a splendid promise of a crop on two trees, but they are all 
attacked by grubs within. If you cut one open you will see the 
culprits. 
“ The same thing happened last year, causing the destruction of a 
crop, as well as in addition having destroyed a fine crop of Beaune 
Bachelier. I observe that the winter Pears have entirely escaped. 
“ I have not heard of a similar case in this neighbourhood, and, 
during my previous experience of many years, I never met with or 
heard of their appearance here. As it concerns fruit market-gardeners, 
as well as those who have Pear orchards, it may be deserving of 
notice.” 
If the attack is, as it appears to be, from the maggot of the Pear 
Midge, the history may be shortly given as follows :—The Pear Midge 
is a very small two-winged gnat fly, not more than a line long, of the 
same nature as the Wheat Midge (see fig. p. 34), but black or grey, 
not yellow. The females lay their eggs in the young blossom-buds of 
the Pear long before they have unfolded, by piercing through the 
petals or through the side of the bud with their long ovipositor. 
The eggs have been found to be from one to twenty in number. 
They soon hatch and bore into the core of the forming fruit. There 
they live until they have gained their full size, and have hollowed out 
most of the inside of the Pear. The attacked fruit is consequently 
stunted in its growth, decays, and often cracks, and by this means exit 
is allowed to the maggots, which have the capacity of bending them¬ 
selves together, and, with a spring, flicking themselves off to the 
ground, where they bury themselves. Sometimes, if the Pears have 
fallen without cracking so as to allow egress to the maggots, they will 
remain within for weeks, and then, when circumstances allow, will 
bury themselves. The further change to the chrysalis and midge 
takes place in the ground.* 
Where attack is found established, of course nothing can be done 
to save the maggoty Pears, but by carefully looking over the trees, 
and, where the crop is in reach, picking off and destroying the little 
stunted fruit, and also by picking up and destroying the small fallen 
Pears, much future mischief may be prevented. Where the fruit 
* See Kollar’s ‘ Inj. Insects,’ pp. 293—295. 
