14 
As commonly observed, however, more or less hidden in the base of 
young wheat plants or other small grains, the insect appears either in 
the form of a footless maggot, or larva, or in what is known as the 
flaxseed state, which corresponds to the chrysalis of other insects. The 
injury to the plant is done altogether by the larva, which feeds on the 
tissues and juices and weakens and eventually destroys the plant. 
Distribution.—In common with many other of our more injurious 
farm pests, the Hessian fly is an importation from Europe; and the 
evidence points very strongly to the fact of its introduction in straw 
brought over with the Hessian troops during the war of the Revolu- 

brat 

Fic. 5.—The Hessian fly (Cecidomyia destructor): a, male; b, enlarged anal segment of same; c, head 
of female; d, head of male; e, scale from leg of male; f, scale from wing; all greatly enlarged 
(original). 
tion. It first appeared in injurious numbers in 1779 in the vicinity of 
the landing place of these troops three years before on Long Island, 
and has gradually spread westward, following the movement of settle- 
ment and wheat culture, reaching the Pacific Slope about 1884, and 
now practically extends throughout the wheat belt of the United 
States and Canada. It has long been known on the continent of 
Europe, covering the wheat belt from Russia westward. It appeared 
in England in injurious numbers in 1886 and was first thought to have 
been recently introduced, but has since been proved to have been 
present long before in barley fields. In 1888 it was reported from 
New Zealand and has since become an important grain pest there, thus 
nearly completing the circuit of the globe. 
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