
Wheat stem maggot
larvae (left) and typical damageWheat Stem Maggots
Meromyza spp.
Adults are
small flies, about 5 mm long, and light to dark
green with a dark stripe on top of the thorax.
Larvae are pale green maggots up to 6 mm long.
Damage is caused by larvae feeding in the stem,
killing the central shoot of young plants and
preventing proper head development (white
heads) in older plants. Host plants:
cereals, grasses.

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