We clarified ecological characteristics, such as lower development threshold temperatures and thermal constants, and taxonomic status of gall midges pests and their relatives.
Mainly, we performed field study and molecular analysis about the grape gall midge, Asphondylia sp. which occurred in Fukushima Prefecture. This pest infests fruit of cultivated grape. As a result of our survey, we found that this species occurs at least three places of Fukushima Prefecture and one place of Miyagi Prefecture, and infests eight cultivars of grape. Also, we revealed that females came to fly to the grape orchards from outside and lay their eggs at the beginning of June. At the grape orchard, we collected one female that flew from unknown overwintering host. Now we try to identify its overwinter host plant, analyzing plant DNA in the female's body.