Pear Leaf-curling Midge vs Australian Plague Locust

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pear Leaf-curling Midge Australian Plague Locust
Scientific Name Dasineura pyri Chortoicetes terminifera
Order Diptera Orthoptera
Family Cecidomyiidae Acrididae
Size 1-2 mm 25-40 mm
Habitat Orchards Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Asia, introduced to North America and Australia Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pear Leaf-curling Midge

A minute gall midge whose larvae cause pear leaves to roll tightly inward along their margins. Multiple generations can occur per year, progressively damaging pear tree foliage.

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Did You Know?

The larvae manipulate plant growth hormones to force leaves to curl around them, creating a protective shelter.

Australian Plague Locust

Australia's most economically damaging locust species. It has a distinctive dark spot at the tip of each hindwing.

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Did You Know?

The Australian Plague Locust Commission uses satellite imagery and predictive modeling to track and control outbreaks across the continent.