Hessian fly


noun
  1. a small fly, Phytophaga destructor, the larvae of which feed on the stems of wheat and other grasses.

Origin of Hessian fly

1
An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Words Nearby Hessian fly

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How to use Hessian fly in a sentence

  • The larvæ are transparent; the flies resemble the Hessian-fly, that destroys the wheat plant.

    American Pomology | J. A. Warder
  • The Wheat-midge (Cecidomyia tritici), also called the Hessian-fly, is sometimes very destructive to the wheat crop.

British Dictionary definitions for Hessian fly

Hessian fly

noun
  1. a small dipterous fly, Mayetiola destructor, whose larvae damage wheat, barley, and rye: family Cecidomyidae (gall midges)

Origin of Hessian fly

1
C18: so called because it was thought to have been introduced into America by Hessian soldiers

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