The larvae develop through four instars before pupating under water in tubes.
The life cycle from egg to adult requires one to two weeks. Larvae injure rice by feeding on the embryo of germinating seeds or on developing roots and seeds of very young seedlings.
Midge injury is indicated by the presence of chewing marks on the seed, roots and shoots and by the presence of hollow seeds. Midge injury occurs in water-seeded rice and is usually not important once seedlings are several inches tall.
Click on the links above to go to the Rice Seed Midge home page or the Rice Insects Photo Galleries home page.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture