INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CEREAL CROPS 

 WHEAT PESTS 



The HESSIAN fly ^ (MaycfioJa destructor) 

 Order — Diptera 



Probably the most injurious pest on wheat in the 

 United States ; imported from Europe and first no- 

 ticed on Long Island in 1779; attributed to the Hes- 

 sian soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Passes 

 winter as pupa or full-grown larva between blades 

 and stalk of young winter wheat just above the 

 roots; adults appear in spring (May) and lay eggs 

 on upper surfaces of leaves ; maggots hatch and go 

 to the bases of leaves above first and second joints ; 

 maggot stage 20 days or more ; changes to a pupa- 

 rium and passes the summer as such in stubble ; fall 

 flies appear in August and first days of September; 

 these lay eggs and produce puparia which pass the 

 winter again ; some flies may issue before winter. 



Food Plants — Eggs often on grass but larvcX 

 live only on wheat, barley and rye; so-called red 

 wheat seems to be more exempt from injury than 

 the white wheat (see Felt, U. S. Bull. 31, p. 22) \ 

 drought prolongs the flaxseed stage greatly. 



Control — Burn stubble or plow under to destroy 

 flaxseeds ; destroy volunteer wheat ; sow wheat late, 

 not earlier than September 20th to escape deposi- 

 ton of eggs by fall flies; sow strips of wheat early 

 in August and then plow under or burn first week 

 in September. 



1 Webster— U. S. Bu. Ent., Circ. 70. 



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