Hessian fly
noun
a small fly, Phytophaga destructor, the larvae of which feed on the stems of wheat and other grasses.
Origin of Hessian fly
1An Americanism dating back to 1780–90
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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. WarderThe Wheat-midge (Cecidomyia tritici), also called the Hessian-fly, is sometimes very destructive to the wheat crop.
Science and Practice in Farm Cultivation | James Buckman
British Dictionary definitions for Hessian fly
Hessian fly
noun
a small dipterous fly, Mayetiola destructor, whose larvae damage wheat, barley, and rye: family Cecidomyidae (gall midges)
Origin of Hessian fly
1C18: so called because it was thought to have been introduced into America by Hessian soldiers
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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