Midge in the Connecticut Garden

A less frequently recognized problem than aphids and Japanese Beetles, midge can be a devastating problem if the garden is attacked.  You have fine foliage, but a black nub at the end of the stem instead of the bloom (which will never come).  This blind shoot is the symptom.  You will not see the midge culprit.

Tom Mayhew's excellent update on midge and Bayer Advanced products to deal with midge.

Hyperlink to Ann Hooper's (Primary Products) discussion on Midge from her May 2005 Newsletter

The Consulting Rosarian Manual, excerpted, says:
    ...Adult is minute (<1/8" long) and lays eggs on succulent new growth and under sepals of flower buds. In two days they hatch and feed on the new growth causing it to turn brown and die, preventing development of a bud.
Symptoms: The telltale sign, a tiny crisp, burnt-like bit of foliage at the tip of new growth, is often the first sign of rose midge.
Control: Weekly examination, early year soil applications of insecticide, and treat roses with insecticidal as recommended on the product label for rose midge.

Several of us have experienced this problem this year.  And since the named soil insecticide product in the CR Manual is no longer readily available and will be off the market Dec. 2004, the recent research and investigations of our members is both timely and particularly useful.

From Dave Berg email:
Hi Everyone,
I have developed a serious case of midge and I thought some of you might be interested in what I have found out in the last few days. 
I have a serious case in one section of our HT section.  Beautiful 4-6' healthy plants with nice long new stems and all have tell-tale sign of midge at the terminal end of each cane.  Doubt if we will get a fall bloom.
Started in investigation on the web.  Searched for rose midge and found a number of sites that described the problem and life cycle but no real good solutions.  It is worth looking at a couple of the sites however.
Sent a email to Robbie Tucker at Rosemania asking if he had any product that would control.  His reply was that some people are using a drench of Merit which he carries as a 2 oz bottle of WP at $59.00.  As you may know Merit is the product that some people are using in place of Oftenol for the control of grubs in lawns.  (Dave C. note: Oftenol will be off the market soon too)
Talked to Tom Rathier from the CT Ag Station in Windsor and who talked at our Yankee Dist. Convention last spring.  He said he had no real experience on Midge but looked in his computer and suggested applying a drench and/or spray using any product I could find that contained imidacloprid (which is Merit) and cyfluthrin (have no idea what that is)
Sent an email to Don Myers at Bayer (who also talked at the convention) asking him if Bayer had a product to control Midge.  Answer--yes.  They have a hose end container that contains both products and he said he has heard good reports.  Went to Lowes and found it.  It is called Bayer Advanced Garden Rose and Flower Insect Killer in an hose end container. A 32 oz bottle cost $9.87.  Don said to spray under the plants, under the plants and surrounding area. I did notice at Lowes that they had a bag of granular with the same ingredients but don't know the cost.
I plan to spray with this tomorrow and hope for the best.
 

From Dave Gade

From Dave Candler:
I have a 'midge problem' for the first time this year.  Noticed mid-August.  Sprayed foliage with Merit and applied a soil drench of Merit®  (wetable powder).  Too early to know results.  I also did some research on the web.  A useful article I found was by Bob Martin, Jr. (also a speaker at our spring convention, and author of the outstanding book Showing Good Roses).  His article highly touts Merit® for use on THRIPS (does not discuss Midge).  Some similarity can be found between the pests, however, and the article is well written.
The article can be found by navigating:
    Concerning Thrips and Merit®
    http://www.rosemania.com/
        Home page, then Expert Advice
            then select Insecticide Update (by Robert Martin Jr.).

Some Additional Links to rose midge on the Internet:
(note: articles generally pre-date Merit as a treatment)
http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/nurspest/rose_midge.htm
(excellent pictures of examples)

http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pests_midge.htm                                                              
The Bugman on ARS- good article

http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/
Univ. of Ill.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/6953_03.html
Univ. of Minn.

Those with knowledge on this subject, please contact Dave Candler, or Dave Berg so that we may make this as complete and current as possible.

Thanks!