The Bee-like Tachinid Fly looks like an unsightly, hairy mess, but this fly is very useful in controlling nuisance insects.
Bee-like Tachinid Fly larvae are lethal predators to insects people may find problematic. Most of these fly larvae feed on the caterpillars of pesky moth species. Because of their diet, some Tachinid Flies have been deliberately imported from other areas to control destructive moth populations. The female Bee-like Tachinid Fly lays a couple of fertilized eggs on or near a moth caterpillar. The caterpillar may inadvertently eat the eggs as it chews on the leaf the eggs were on. A larva will feed on its internal parts until the caterpillar dies. The fly larva will then drop to the ground and dig a burrow where it will pupate and develop into a flying adult.
Adults have red bodies that get darker at the tip of the abdomen. Color variations exist with individuals. Some are more yellow, or orange, while others are more red. A black line runs down the center of the body. It is covered in black, spiky hairs. Transparent wings flare out to the sides at an angle. This particular species of Tachinid Fly can be found on flowers or in marshy areas during the summer and autumn. Adults drink nectar.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Tachinidiae
Genus:Hystricia
Species:abrupta
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Hystricia abrupta
Category:
Fly or Mosquito
Size (Adult; Length): 10mm to 13mm (0.39in to 0.51in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: black, red, orange, yellow
