The adult midge is active from late June to early August. Peak activity is from early to mid July. A model using daily temperatures to calculate degree day accumulations allows for a more accurate prediction of local adult emergence. Wheat is attractive for egg laying by midge from the time the head emerges from the boot through flowering. The orange colored adult midge can be seen laying eggs on the wheat heads.
Plants are susceptible as the head emerges from the boot.
In general, if 1 or more midge are observed for every 4 or 5 heads, treatment is warranted. A simple trap design would be a white Styrofoam plate, attached to the top and bottom of a surveyors flag. The trapping surface can be coated with Tanglefoot foot or vegetable oil. The trap can alert an individual to the presence of midge and their identity, but it does not provide information about the need to treat. Heavy infestations typically occur in areas of low rainfall or during drought years.