Hessian Fly Management on Wheat

Abstract

The Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), is one of the most destructive pest species of wheat. This insect probably originated in the southern Caucasus region of Russia and was accidently introduced into North America when Hessian troops imported straw bedding during the American Revolutionary War. Hessian flies were first observed on Long Island, New York, around 1779. Today, they are present in most wheat-growing areas of the United States. Around the turn of the 20th century, this insect destroyed millions of bushels of wheat in Missouri.