Hessian fly
- Pronunciation
- /HEH-shun fly/
- Category
- Taxonomy
- Singular
- Hessian fly
- Plural
- Hessian flies
Definition
A (: ) that is among the most destructive pests of wheat and other cereal crops. The larva feeds on plant stems and crowns, stunting growth and causing lodging. The derives from an apocryphal association with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, though the is native to Asia.
Etymology
From an erroneous belief that the was introduced to North America in the straw bedding of Hessian mercenaries during the American Revolutionary War; 18th-century inquiry found no such insect in Europe, and Asian origin is now established.
Example
Wheat varieties carrying the H13 resistance gene show against Hessian fly larvae, causing them to die before reaching the second instar.
Synonyms
- barley midge
- wheat midge
Related Terms
- Gall midge
- Cecidomyiidae
- Antibiosis
- Host plant resistance
- lodging
- cereal pest
Usage Notes
Despite the , this is a ( ), not a true fly in the house-fly sense. The synonym "wheat midge" can cause confusion with the wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana), a distinct pest. wheat cultivars are classified by their specific resistance gene (e.g., H6, H9, H13) rather than by general "resistance" claims.