Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 91. (Budapest 1999)

Skuhravá, M. ; Skuhravý, V.: Gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyidae) of Hungary

On vegetable crops, KOTMAYER (1981) paid attention to the damage caused by Dasineura brassicae on rape and came to the conclusion that the rotation system and the spatial distribution of fields where rape is planted influence substantially the extend of damage. VESZELKA (1985c) reported about damage caused by Dasineura papaveris on Papaver. Attack caused by this species may result both in quantitative and qualitative yield losses. On fruit crops, AMBRUS (1972) called attention to Apiomyia bergenstammi to be pest of pear trees. Larvae cause large plurilocular woody galls on twigs but the attacked parts usually remain unobserved. The attack leads to deformations of trees and reduction in yield. MOLNÁR (1988) informed about the occurrence and damages caused by Dasineura mali. AMBRUS (1973) reported about Lasioptera rubi, Dasineura plicatrix and Resseliella (Thomasiniana) theobaldi all injuring the growing shoots of Rubus spp. in plantations. The attack may result in stunting of shrubs and in the development of small fruits. For several years VESZELKA (1981a, 1985a, b) investigated the occurrence and damage caused by Resseliella theobaldi and Dasineura tetensi which were and probably still are serious pests on black currant in Hungary. He recommended as an efficient control to burn the attacked plants after harvest and to spray the plantations. Willows growing abundantly along rivers, brooks and in moist areas around ponds and lakes are also attacked by several gall midge species. AMBRUS (1964a', 1965a) described the biology and the damage caused by three gall midges, viz. Rabdophaga (Helicomyia) saliciperda, R. heterobia and R. terminális calling them pests. They cause damages on willows in nurseries and in places where basket willows are grown. TÓTH (1976) informed about the biology of Rabdophaga saliciperda. Attention of researchers was also paid to investigations of gall-making insects occurring in various arboretums and in botanical gardens (AMBRUS 19606, 1964a, 19686, 1971a, b, 1974), in national parks and nature reserves (MAHUNKA 1981, DELY-DRASKOVITS 1991). Although a relatively large numbers of gall-inducing insect species including gall midges were found, none of them causes damage to host plant species and, therefore, no species may be considered to be a pest. On the contrary, such areas must be consider as réfugia for animals including gall-inducing insects where they may survive in nature which gradually deteriorates under the influence of man. * * * Acknowledgements - This paper is dedicated to the memory of the great Hungarian cecidologist, Professor BÉLA AMBRUS (1909-1979) who for a long time investigated the occurrence of galls caused by various insects and mites in the territory of Hungary. He gathered a large collection of about 30 000 galls of gall wasps and gall midges and in 1956 he donated it to the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. We thank Dr. Á. DELY-DRASKOVITS, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, for her help during our investigations in Northern Hungary in 1988; Dr. L. PAPP, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, for sending several papers and for translating of some part from Hungarian into English; and Dr. G. CSÓKA, Forest Research Institute, Mátrafüred (Hungary), for inviting us to the interesting excursion in the Mátra Mts in the course of the IUFRO Symposium "Biology of Gall Inducing Arthropods" in August 1997.