UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

The Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason), is a pest of irrigated rice in Telangana, but fine-scale information on its local distribution and seasonal incidence in Nalgonda Mandal remains limited. This study characterised its occurrence, spatial distribution, infestation levels and seasonal population dynamics in Appajipeta and Khajiramaram during three consecutive Kharif seasons (2023–2025). Two fields were selected in each village, with five fixed 5 m × 5 m plots per field (20 plots; 500 m²). Observations were made fortnightly from transplanting to harvest, recording plot occurrence, damaged hills, silver shoots and affected-hill abundance. Across the study area, pooled plot occurrence was 69.17%, plant incidence was 21.99 ± 3.18%, silver shoot percentage was 9.16 ± 1.22%, and mean abundance was 4.40 ± 0.64 affected hills per 25 m² plot. Mean silver shoot percentage exceeded the 5% economic threshold level reported in the manuscript. Infestation was recorded in both villages during all three seasons, with a higher pooled plant incidence in Appajipeta than in Khajiramaram. Visible silver shoots were absent at 15 days after transplanting (DAT), first appeared at 30 DAT and peaked at maximum tillering (60 DAT; 21.30 ± 1.86%). Silver shoot percentage subsequently declined after panicle initiation and reached 0.00% at harvest (120 DAT). These observations provide a local baseline for monitoring rice gall midge infestation in relation to crop growth stage.