Silkworm-pest
Guides
Exorista
uzi fly
Exorista is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 70 described species distributed across multiple subgenera. The genus includes both beneficial biocontrol agents and economically significant pests of sericulture. Species such as E. sorbillans (uzi fly) are major constraints on silk production, causing up to 80% crop loss in outdoor silkworm operations through endoparasitic larval development. Other species have been evaluated for biological control of agricultural pests, including E. larvarum for in vitro rearing and E. deligata for control of tea loopers. The genus exhibits diverse host associations, primarily targeting Lepidoptera.
Forcipomyia
biting midges, no-see-ums, punkies
Forcipomyia is a large genus of biting midges comprising over 1,000 described species. The genus exhibits remarkable ecological diversity: species in the subgenus Lasiohelea are vertebrate blood-feeders, some species act as ectoparasites on larger insects, and others serve as the exclusive pollinators of cacao (Theobroma cacao), making them essential to chocolate production. This genus belongs to the family Ceratopogonidae and demonstrates one of the highest recorded wing-beat frequencies among insects.
Forcipomyia fuliginosa
Forcipomyia fuliginosa is a biting midge in the family Ceratopogonidae. It exhibits ectoparasitic hemolymphophagy, feeding on the blood of insect larvae. The species has been documented as a pest of the tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta in India, where preferential landing and blood-feeding behavior on silkworm larvae threatens the sericulture industry. It is one of numerous Forcipomyia species, some of which are notable as pollinators of cacao.