**6. Materials and methods**

*Life Cycle and Development of Diptera*

**Figure 4.** Jasminum nitidum.

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**Figure 5.**

*Jasminum* species.

species, that is*, J. sambac*, *J. auriculatum*, *J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum*. The objective of the study is to compare the different life stages of blossom midge in different

*Symptoms of damage of blossom midge,* Contarinia maculipennis.

In the laboratory, 10 pairs of adult midges were introduced into the rearing cage (50 × 45 × 45 cm). A 250 ml conical flask filled with water plugged with adsorbent cotton and inserted with fresh *J. sambac* branches with flowers and buds was kept inside the cages to facilitate oviposition. The buds were checked for eggs, and the life history was studied. The lower surface of the rearing cage was filled with moist sand and planted with three-fourth mature flower buds to facilitate pupation of the maggots. The egg, maggot, pupal, and adult longevity periods were recorded. Jasmine branches with flowers were replaced daily with fresh branches.

The biology was also studied by rearing them in *J. auriculatum, J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* buds by placing the respective branches in the conical flask with flowers and buds (**Figure 6**).

To study the biology in different *Jasminum* species, the midges were cultured in *J. sambac, J. auriculatum, J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* placed inside Petri dishes, and the following parameters were recorded.

**Figure 6.** *Mass culturing of blossom midge.*
