Assessing the impacts of natural enemies and canopy structure on orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), in the Peace River region of Alberta

Orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana, is an invasive, economically important pest in spring wheat in the Canadian Prairies. In the Peace River region of Alberta, little is known about this pest and its natural enemies. Impacts of crop type and canopy structure on assemblages of carabid beetles and, in turn, their impact on wheat midge populations were assessed in a field plot trial. Few effects of canopy structure and crop type influenced carabid assemblages, though high plant densities in wheat resulted in lower carabid activity density and species richness in 2017. A survey was conducted where wheat midge larvae were collected throughout the region and reared to assess wheat midge parasitoid distribution and diversity. All parasitoids recovered were identified as Macroglenes penetrans, with the exception of a single individual in the genus Inostemma. Future research should investigate impacts of specific carabid species on wheat midge populations in this region.