Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Dasineura rubiformis, Australian gall midge found on black wattle
From SURVEILLANCE 37 (4) 2010.
A visiting Australian scientist notified MAF of a new record of the gall-forming midge Dasineura rubiformis, detected on black wattle Acacia mearnsii on a roadside in Hamilton. D. rubiformis is host specific to Acacia species, particularly A. mearnsii, a minor weed native to Australia. D. rubiformis affects the reproductive ability of A. mearnsii by forming galls on the flowers and preventing the formation of fruit, but otherwise has no effect on growth. This gall midge is not considered to be a biosecurity concern. In South Africa D. rubiformis has been proposed as a biological control agent of Acacia mearnsii, which is an invasive pest in that country.
NZFFA on facebook