Observations and experiments on the hessian fly (mayetiola destructor say)

Experiments showed that a stem midge collected locally on couch grass (Agropyron repens) and similar midges collected on wheat, barley and rye were of the same species, i.e. the hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor Say. There were three main flights per year, with some overlapping of the generations. In experiments, Aegilops ovata, Triticum compactum, T. dicoccoides, T. durum, T. spelta and T. turgidum were successfully used as host plants besides wheat, barley, rye and couch grass. Individual female midges when moved from plant to plant gave rise to families on the different host plants; similarly, succeeding generations of midges were able to breed on various host plants other than those from which they themselves were reared. Oviposition also took place on plants on which larvae failed to establish themselves. Wheat seemed more favourable for the hessian fly than couch grass, and more midges were reared from young plants than from mature ones. Unisexual families occurred in about half the experiments. The following parasites were bred : Trichacis didas Walker, Eupteromalus ? hemipterus Walker, Platy-gaster sp., Chrysocharis sp. and Tetrastichus sp.