Tachinid Fly – Peleteria Species


Tachinid Fly – Peleteria Species

Tachinid Fly - Peleteria Species

Family Tachinidae, commonly known as tachinid flies, are parasitoids, meaning that their larvae are parasitic on other arthropods.

Tachinid Fly - Peleteria Species

Tachinidae belongs to the superfamily Oestroidea. It is one of the largest families of Diptera, with over 10,000 known species worldwide. Most species measuring between 5 to 15 millimeters in length.

Life Cycle:

  • Egg: Tachinid flies lay their eggs on the bodies of host insects, typically near or on the host’s soft tissues.
  • Larva: The tachinid fly larva hatches from the egg and enters the host insect, where it feeds internally. The larva eventually kills the host.
  • Pupa: After consuming the host, the tachinid larva leaves the host and pupates in the soil or leaf litter.
  • Adult: The adult fly emerges from the pupa and is free-living. They feed on nectar and pollen, contributing to pollination.

Tachinid Fly - Peleteria Species

Tachinid flies may lay their eggs on various insect groups: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths), Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, and Ants), Coleoptera (Beetles), Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets).

tachinid egg

Tachinid egg glued to Coreid bug pronotum

Hemiptera (True Bugs): Tachinid flies parasitize bugs such as stink, shield, and leaf-footed (above).

Peleteria sp. at Spring Cave, White River Nat’l Forest, Colorado, USA. El. 7590 ft.

Flies Index

North American Insects & Spiders

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