Rose Gall Midge
One insect pest studied by the Agricultural Research Service’s Insect Biocontrol Laboratory was the rose gall midge and its relationships with various varieties of rose plants. The photographs document early research done on the rose gall midge and the damage it caused to the rose plants.
Platynota stultana Wlsm. Injury to Briarcliff Rose. Two buds on left infested with larva; bud on right uninfested. Center bud shows petals expanded and partly eaten - other petals webbed together and eat at top - while one sepal is webbed to bud. Bud on left decaying at bottom. Note sepals distorted.
Platynota stultana Wlsm. Rose buds, variety Briarcliff--showing injury by larvae of this moth. Buds show discolored areas, holes in the petals, petals webbed together, and distortion. Alexandria, Virginia.