THE HESSIAN FLY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1775, 24 February 1888, Page 3

THE HESSIAN FLY

The following highly technical and scientific description of the Hessian fly is given ln the paper recently read by Mr | W. M. Maskell F.R.M.S. before the .Wellington Philosophic a 1 Society :— "The fly Is certainly a Oecidomyia from the general contour, the 17 jointed an tenure, the legs without ap'nes, the- shape of the head and eyes and etc , and the form of tbe larva or maggot. As to the color, It corresponds entirely with that of 0< destructor, allowing for variations m sex, and the differences of terms used by writers. Thu., for example, oue author says that the feet and antenna) are " pin it " .another says they are " light brown." The venation of ihe wings m tbe perfect fly is an important point ; and m this our fly corresponds with the European one. The form of the chrysalis or pupa, or he should rather say the "pupa case," was exaotly the " flaxseed " form of O. destructor. Tbe true ohrysalis or pupa te&embles that of all ceoldomyids m a general way, and he could not take it as a oharaoter for identification of species. Thla pupa is, when nearly mature, quite loose inside the :" flaxseed " case, and the general shape of the fu'ure fly could be readily distinguished m it. Aa regards the lac v?, or maggot, it answers entirely to that of O. destructor, possessing' the peculiar appondage beneath the head called the breastbone, char act eristic of tbe Hessian fly. Indeed, . be wps not Bure that this feature is not In itself sufficient for identification of the Insect.