Patelloa
Townsend, 1916
Species Guides
1Patelloa is a of tachinid flies established by Townsend in 1916. At least 17 are recognized, distributed primarily in North America. One well-studied species, P. pachypyga, is a larval of the forest (Malacosoma disstria) and uses -damaged foliage as a cue for host location.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Patelloa: //pæˈtɛloʊə//
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Habitat
Forest where caterpillars occur; specifically areas with host-damaged foliage of trees such as aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera).
Distribution
North America; records include United States (Vermont) and Canada.
Host Associations
- Malacosoma disstria - Principal larval for P. pachypyga
- Multiple host species - P. pachypyga is a
Behavior
P. pachypyga exhibits a distinctive -finding strategy: attracted to host-damaged foliage rather than directly to host caterpillars, lands on damaged foliage, then searches for hosts on the foliage surface. This differs from the strategy used by the co-occurring Leschenaultia exul.
Ecological Role
Larval of forest , contributing to of this defoliating pest in forest .
Similar Taxa
- Leschenaultia exulCo-occurring tachinid of Malacosoma disstria; differs in -finding —L. exul is attracted directly to host volatiles and the herbivore-aspen complex, while Patelloa pachypyga uses host-damaged foliage as a landing cue followed by surface search.