Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-08-18
Hessian Fly.

Wheat being the great staple ofthe west,
every thing, therefore, which effects its
culture will be interesting, not only to the
farmers, but to the whole community
And as the fly is a formidable enemy of
that precious grain, a short history of it
may not be amiss. Here is description
we believe, from the pen of w. Gaylord:
"Itis very small black insect, not so
large as moscheto, with two fine trans
parent wings. from the roots ofwhich three.
ribs diyerge, as through the leafofa plant.
The body when examined by micro.
scope, is found TO be divided into foul seq
ments with a few hairs observable on
each. The legs are yellowish cast, and
transparent; the head infected with a
short proboscis.
"This, as is common with nearly all
other insects passes through four distinct
stages Of existence: 1st, the egg: Cd, the
larva; I'd the pupa, or dormant state; and
4th, the perfect or winged insect. In
this part of the country it passes though
two generations in one season, and at.
lacks the wheat both in spring and au-
tumn. The fly or perfect insect deposites
the eggs in autumn, soon after the young
plants appear above the ground, between
the lowest part Of the leaf and that part
which forms the stem, and as near the
ground as possible. 1t resembles at first
q very small white nit and a, it grows
large becomes sluggish, and almost in
animate naggot of white color In this
state the proper and most natural food is
the sap ofthat kind fgreen wheat which
has the most delicate straw. 1t remains
IN this situation during the whole winter,
apparently in this chrysalist state, without
suffering any injury from the frost or snow;
and in the spring, as soon as it is warm
enough, and generally about the time veg.
citation has fairly commenced, it is trans
formed into the fly. In this state it lays
Its eggs between the stem aud sheath.
which encloses it as before described, and
dles--and new generation succeeds.
"Ihe eggs are soon hatched by the
warmth ofthe season, and the young in.
sects may be discovered ia the form of
small white maggots, within the sheath of
straw, and just above the lower joint
They here continue to feed on the sap and
the tender 6bres of the plant, by which it
either withers and dies, or is stinted in its
growth, SO that the grain does not arrive
at maturity. They are changed into the
pupa state before harvest, and at this sea.
son, while the wheat is still green, their
presence may be readily detected by walk
ing through the field, and pressing the
heads with the fngers--those which feel
soft and untitled with grains, are those
which have been injured by the insect; and
If such stalks be examined, they will be
found near the lower joints, somewhat re-
sembiing fax seed, but smaller and
slenderer, and Of "a dark brown COLOR
They continue in this state until after
harvest, and may be found upon stubb!e in
the field. Early they pass into their
state, lay their eggs in the young plants of
wheat as before described. When the
fly is about to issue from the pupa state
into that ola perfect insect, it disengages
itselfby boring small, round hole through
the brown case in which it is enclosed,
and through the sheath ofthe wheat Just
opposite to the place where it is lodged and
this hole may be easily discovered as long
as the stubble remains entire"