Recent variety introductions of greater levels of resistance have reduced the level of injury to this pest in the South. Wheat is the primary host of the Hessian fly, but the insect also will infest triticale, barley and rye. Hessian fly does not attack oats. Little barley is the only other important host in Georgia. Adult Hessian flies are small black flies about the size of a mosquito.
Adults live about two days during which they mate.
Females lay about 200 eggs in the grooves of the upper side of the wheat leaves. Young reddish larvae move along a leaf groove to the leaf sheath and then move between the leaf sheath and stem where they begin to feed on the stem above the leaf base. Maggots become white after molting and appear greenish white when full grown. The entire life cycle requires about 35 days at 70F. Newly hatched larvae are prone to drying while they are exposed on the leaf surface, but once larvae move to the stem base, they are protected from weather extremes. Maggots suck sap and stunt tillers presumably by injecting a toxin into the plant.