A New Pest Concern in New England:
Swede Midge

A new state record for Swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii Kieffer) was recently confirmed from an organic farm in New Haven County, Connecticut.  A single adult Swede midge was captured by Dr. Kimberly Stoner (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station) on 27 July, 2006 in a Jackson trap placed in a field of mixed cruciferous vegetable crops.  The specimen was confirmed on 19 January 2007 by Dr. Raymond Gagne, USDA APHIS Systemic Entomology Laboratory, Washington, DC.  

Swede Midge Pupa Image: Mao Chen, Cornell University, www.forestryimages.org

Swede Midge Adult Image: Susan Ellis, USDA APHIS, www.forestryimages.org

 

Swede midge is a serious pest of cruciferous vegetables.  In Europe, where severe crop losses have been reported, Swede midge is a common pest of crucifers, which include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collards.  This exotic pest is also found in Southwestern Asia.  It was first identified in North America in Ontario in 2000.  In the U.S., Swede midge was confirmed in western New York in 2004 (U.S. record) and Massachusetts in 2005. 

Additional information can be found on the following websites:

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Pest Information
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/smidge/index.shtml 

Cornell University Cooperative Extension
http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/vegetables/cruc/sm.pdf 

Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project
http://www.massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/pestalerts/swedemidgepestalert_September20_2005.htm

Donna Ellis
Extension Educator and State Survey Coordinator,
USDA APHIS Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program
University of Connecticut
Department of Plant Science
1390 Storrs Road, Unit 4163
Storrs, CT  06269-4163
Phone (860) 486-6448
FAX (860) 486-0534

email donna.ellis@uconn.edu

 UConn Integrated Pest Management: www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/

CT Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG): www.hort.uconn.edu/cipwg 

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