Tachinid
Guides
Hypovoria cauta
Hypovoria cauta is a tachinid fly described by Townsend in 1926. As a member of the family Tachinidae, it belongs to a large group of parasitoid flies whose larvae develop within or upon other insects. The species has been documented across North America from Canada through the United States to Mexico.
Hystricia
Hystricia is a genus of tachinid flies established by Macquart in 1844, containing approximately 23 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. These flies are characterized by large body size and spiny abdominal tergites, a trait common to many Tachinidae. Like other members of their family, they are parasitoids of other insects. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with species described by multiple authors including Curran, Wulp, and Rondani.
Hystricia abrupta
Spiny-butt fly
Hystricia abrupta is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae, commonly recognized by its spiny abdomen. This large tachinid fly is frequently found in western North America, where adults visit late summer and fall wildflowers for nectar. Like other tachinid flies, it is a parasitoid, with larvae developing inside host insects. It is often mistaken for similar large tachinids such as Adejeania vexatrix and Paradejeania rutilioides due to its robust, spiny appearance.
Iceliini
Iceliini is a tribe of tachinid flies comprising three genera: Erviopsis, Icelia, and Iceliopsis. These flies are parasitoids, with larvae developing inside other insects. The tribe is placed in the subfamily Tachininae and is distinguished by specific morphological features of the male terminalia.
Imitomyia sugens
Imitomyia sugens is a tachinid fly first described by Hermann Loew in 1863. It belongs to the tribe Imitomyiini within the subfamily Dexiinae. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other tachinid flies, it is likely a parasitoid, though specific host associations remain undocumented.
Istocheta
Istocheta is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Blondeliini. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Istocheta aldrichi, the most extensively studied species, is a specialist parasitoid of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) and has been widely introduced as a biological control agent. Most species in the genus appear to be parasitoids of scarab beetles, though detailed host records remain limited for many taxa.
Jurinella
Jurinella is a genus of tachinid flies in the tribe Tachinini. The genus contains approximately 50 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. Species were described by multiple dipterists including Townsend, Curran, and Blanchard between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. As with other tachinids, members of this genus are presumably parasitoids, though specific host associations remain largely undocumented.
Kirbya
Kirbya is a genus of tachinid flies (family Tachinidae) established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. The genus contains at least nine recognized species distributed across four subgenera, with records from North America, Europe, and Central Asia. As members of the tribe Voriini, these flies are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented for most species.
Leschenaultia adusta
A tachinid fly in the tribe Goniini, known from North America. The species was originally described as Blepharipeza adusta by Loew in 1872. It belongs to a genus of parasitoid flies whose larvae develop within other insects.
Leschenaultia exul
Leschenaultia exul is a tachinid fly that parasitizes tent caterpillars, particularly the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria) and eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americana). Females locate hosts using olfactory cues from larval aggregation pheromones and frass volatiles, combined with visual cues such as silk trails and larval aggregations. The species deposits macrotype eggs directly onto host larvae and is considered an important biological control agent of forest tent caterpillar populations in North America.
Leschenaultia reinhardi
Leschenaultia reinhardi is a tachinid fly described in 2002 by Toma and Guimarães. It belongs to the tribe Goniini within the subfamily Exoristinae. The species is known from North America. As a member of the Tachinidae family, it is a parasitoid fly, though specific host associations for this species have not been documented in the available literature.
Leskia occidentalis
Leskia occidentalis is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It is native to North America. As a tachinid fly, it is presumed to be a parasitoid, though specific host relationships for this species have not been documented in the available literature.
Leskiini
Leskiini is a tribe of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) comprising approximately 55 genera distributed worldwide. Members are endoparasitoids of arthropods, with larvae developing inside host organisms. Adults of at least some species visit flowers and contribute to pollination. The tribe includes both widespread genera such as Leskia and Solieria, and numerous regional endemics.
Lespesia archippivora
Caterpillar Destroyer
Lespesia archippivora is a tachinid fly parasitoid that develops internally within caterpillars, eventually killing its host. It is a generalist parasitoid known to infect at least 25 lepidopteran species and one hymenopteran species. The species is particularly notable for its impact on monarch butterfly populations, with studies estimating 6.2% of wild monarchs are killed by this fly. It has been widely used as a biological control agent against agricultural pests including armyworms, cutworms, and corn earworms. First introduced to Hawaii in 1898 for pest control, it is now established across North America and several Pacific islands.
Leucostoma aterrimum
Leucostoma aterrimum is a species of tachinid fly in the subfamily Phasiinae. It is known as a parasitoid of true bugs, with documented records of attacking adult scentless plant bugs (Rhopalidae). The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning Europe, North America, and parts of South America, with introduced populations in Hawaii.
Linnaemya
Linnaemya is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) comprising approximately 130 described species distributed across three recognized subgenera: Homoeonychia, Linnaemya (sensu stricto), and Ophina. Species are predominantly parasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, particularly Noctuidae (owlet moths), with some records from other host groups. The genus exhibits a broad geographic range spanning the Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical, and Nearctic regions. Several species have been subjects of genomic sequencing due to their ecological significance as biological control agents.
Lixophaga
Lixophaga is a genus of tachinid flies in the tribe Blondeliini. Species in this genus are parasitoids, primarily attacking lepidopteran hosts including stem borers in the genus Diatraea and other moth larvae. The genus has been recorded from the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, with some species studied for biological control potential against agricultural pests. Lixophaga diatraeae has been particularly well-studied as a parasitoid of sugarcane borers.
Lydina americana
Lydina americana is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It is native to North America, with recorded presence in Canada and the United States. As a tachinid fly, it is presumably parasitoid in its larval stage, though specific host relationships for this species have not been documented in available sources. The species was originally described as Tryphera americana by Townsend in 1892.
Lypha
Lypha is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 30 described species distributed across multiple continents. The genus was established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. Species have been recorded from North America, South America, Africa, and Europe. At least one species, Lypha dubia, has been documented as a parasitoid host for trypanosomatid parasites.
Macromya
Macromya is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately five to seven described species. Members are morphologically similar to one another and closely resemble the genus Adejeania, with which they are frequently confused. The genus reaches its highest diversity in the Neotropics but extends into the southern Nearctic region. Like other tachinids, these flies are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented for most species.
Macromya crocata
Macromya crocata is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It belongs to the tribe Nemoraeini and was described by Reinhard in 1968. The species is found in North America, where it occurs in forested habitats. Like other tachinid flies, it is a parasitoid, though specific host records for this species remain undocumented. Adults are active during late summer and fall, often observed visiting flowers for nectar.
Madremyia
Madremyia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Eryciini. The genus includes at least three described species, with Madremyia saundersii being a documented parasitoid of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), a major forest pest in North America. Tachinid flies in this genus are larval parasitoids of Lepidoptera.
Meigenielloides
Meigenielloides is a genus of tachinid flies established by Townsend in 1919. It contains a single known species, Meigenielloides cinerea, described from Mexico. As a member of the tribe Blondeliini within the subfamily Exoristinae, it belongs to a group of parasitoid flies that attack other insects.
Meledonus latipennis
Meledonus latipennis is a species of tachinid fly described by Aldrich in 1926. The species is known from California and is part of the subfamily Dexiinae within the family Tachinidae. As a member of this family, it is a parasitoid fly, though specific host associations for this species have not been documented.
Microchaetina petiolata
Microchaetina petiolata is a species of tachinid fly described by Townsend in 1919. Tachinid flies are parasitoids whose larvae develop inside other insects. The species is known from North America.
Minthoini
Minthoini is a tribe of tachinid flies within the subfamily Tachininae. Members are parasitoid flies that attack various host insects. The tribe contains multiple genera distributed across multiple continents. They are recognized by specific morphological features of the head and thorax.
Mochlosoma illocale
Mochlosoma illocale is a species of tachinid fly described by Reinhard in 1958. It belongs to the subfamily Dexiinae within the large family Tachinidae, a group of parasitoid flies. The genus Mochlosoma contains relatively few described species, and this taxon is known from limited records in North America. Information regarding its biology and ecology remains sparse.
Myiopharus doryphorae
Myiopharus doryphorae is a tachinid fly native to North America and a specialized parasitoid of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). It develops internally within host larvae, with parasitism rates reaching 45–67% during peak season. The species has been extensively studied for biological control applications against this major agricultural pest.
Neoethilla
Neoethilla is a genus of tachinid flies established in 2012 following taxonomic revision. Species in this genus were previously classified under Winthemia. As a tachinid, members are parasitoid flies, though specific host relationships for Neoethilla remain poorly documented.
Nimioglossa
Nimioglossa is a genus of tachinid flies in the family Tachinidae, established by Reinhard in 1945. The genus contains two described species: Nimioglossa planicosta and Nimioglossa ravida, both also described by Reinhard in the same year. As members of Tachinidae, these flies are likely parasitoids, though specific host relationships remain undocumented. The genus is poorly known, with minimal published biological information and few observations.
Nimioglossa ravida
Nimioglossa ravida is a species of tachinid fly described by Reinhard in 1945. As a member of the family Tachinidae, it belongs to a large group of parasitoid flies. The species has been recorded from Mexico and the United States. Very little specific information about its biology has been documented.
Oestrophasia
Oestrophasia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Dufouriini. Members of this genus are parasitoid flies, with at least one species, Oestrophasia (Cenosoma) sabroskyi, documented as a parasitoid of weevils (Curculionidae). The genus contains six described species distributed in the New World.
Oestrophasia calva
Oestrophasia calva is a species of tachinid fly in the family Tachinidae, subfamily Dexiinae, tribe Dufouriini. The species was described by Coquillett in 1902. Tachinid flies are parasitoids, with larvae typically developing inside other insects. This species occurs in North America across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Opsotheresia
Opsotheresia is a genus of tachinid flies established by Townsend in 1919. The genus contains two described species: Opsotheresia bigelowi and Opsotheresia obesa. As members of the family Tachinidae, these flies are parasitoids, though specific host associations for Opsotheresia remain undocumented. The genus is classified within the subfamily Dexiinae and tribe Dexiini.
Ostracophyto flavicaudalis
Ostracophyto flavicaudalis is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae, described by O'Hara in 2002. It is native to North America and is one of approximately 1,500 species of tachinid flies in the United States. The specific epithet 'flavicaudalis' refers to a yellowish tail or abdomen, though detailed morphological descriptions remain limited in published literature.
Paradejeania rutilioides
spiny tachina fly, hedgehog fly
Paradejeania rutilioides is a large, robust tachinid fly known for its heavily spined abdomen. It is commonly called the "hedgehog fly" due to this distinctive appearance. Adults are active in late summer and fall, frequently visiting flowers for nectar. The species is a documented parasitoid of caterpillars, specifically recorded from Edwards' Glassy-wing moth (Hemihyalea edwardsii).
Paradejeania rutilioides rutilioides
Spiny Tachinid Fly, Hedgehog Fly
Paradejeania rutilioides rutilioides is a large tachinid fly, the nominate subspecies of the Spiny Tachinid Fly. It is distinguished by its robust build, heavily spined abdomen, and subdued orange coloration. Adults are active in late summer and fall, frequently observed visiting flowers. The species is a known parasitoid of caterpillars, specifically documented from Edwards' Glassy-wing moth (Hemihyalea edwardsii).
Paradidyma singularis
Paradidyma singularis is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It was originally described by Townsend in 1891 under the basionym Atrophopoda singularis. The species is known from North America. As a member of the Tachinidae family, it is a parasitoid fly, though specific host associations for this species have not been documented.
Pararchytas decisus
Pararchytas decisus is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae, a group of parasitoid flies that develop inside other insects. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1849 under the basionym Tachina decisa. It belongs to the genus Pararchytas, which is placed within the tribe Tachinini and subfamily Tachininae. Records indicate presence in both Mexico and the United States.
Parasetigena silvestris
Parasetigena silvestris is a tachinid fly and specialist parasitoid of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). Females deposit macrotype eggs directly onto host larvae, with strong selectivity for host instar—first instars are rejected, while second through fifth instars are accepted with increasing preference for larger hosts. The species exhibits a bimodal diel activity pattern with oviposition peaks in early morning and late afternoon. It locates hosts by searching vegetation and responds to host silk trails and frass as orientation cues. Superparasitism occurs in the field, with parasitoid eggs aggregated on certain hosts rather than randomly distributed.
Peleteria anaxias
Peleteria anaxias is a species of tachinid fly in the family Tachinidae. As a parasitoid, its larvae develop inside host insects, typically consuming them from within. The species is found in North America and has been documented visiting flowers, including lavender. Tachinid flies in this genus are recognized by distinctive morphological features and serve as biological control agents against various pest insects.
Periscepsia laevigata
Periscepsia laevigata is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It is a parasitoid fly found in North America, with documented occurrences in Canada, the United States, Guatemala, and Mexico. As a member of Tachinidae, it likely develops as a parasitoid of other insects, though specific host records for this species remain undocumented in available sources.
Phasia robertsonii
ball-nosed planthopper
A tachinid fly species in the genus Phasia, originally described from North America. The species has been reclassified from the genus Fitchiella, where it was previously placed as a planthopper. As a member of the Tachinidae family, it is a parasitoid fly. A 1995 study by Day documented biological observations identifying it as a native parasite of adult plant bugs (Miridae) feeding on alfalfa and grasses.
Phasmophaga
Phasmophaga is a genus of tachinid flies established by Townsend in 1909. The genus comprises five described species distributed in the Americas. At least one species, P. antennalis, has been documented as a parasitoid of saturniid moth caterpillars. The genus belongs to the tribe Blondeliini within the subfamily Exoristinae.
Phorocera
Phorocera is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 13 described species. Species in this genus are parasitoids of various insect hosts, particularly sawflies and lepidopteran larvae. Several species have been investigated for biological control of forest pests, including conifer-feeding sawflies and the spruce budworm. The genus is characterized by specific adult and immature morphological features used in identification.
Phytomyptera
Phytomyptera is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Graphogastrini, comprising approximately 60 described species distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus was revised taxonomically in 1989, with species primarily distinguished by diagnostic features of the male and female genitalia. European species are particularly well-documented, with 12 species currently recognized from this region.
Phytomyptera melissopodis
Phytomyptera melissopodis is a species of tachinid bristle fly described by Coquillett in 1897. It belongs to the subfamily Tachininae and tribe Graphogastrini. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a tachinid fly, it is likely a parasitoid, though specific host associations for this species have not been documented.
Prosena siberita
Prosena siberita is a tachinid fly with a distinctive elongated proboscis that folds beneath the body. Adults feed on nectar and pose no threat to humans or plants. The species was introduced to the United States in 1925 as a biological control agent targeting scarab beetle larvae, particularly the Japanese beetle. It has established populations across a broad geographic range spanning Eurasia, Australasia, and North America.
Ptilodexia rufipennis
Ptilodexia rufipennis is a species of tachinid fly, a family of parasitoid flies commonly known as bristle flies. The species was described by Macquart in 1844. Like other members of Tachinidae, it is presumed to be an internal parasitoid of other insects, though specific host records for this species appear to be unreported. It is found in North America.
Rhachoepalpus olivaceus
Rhachoepalpus olivaceus is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae, first described by Townsend in 1908. It belongs to a genus of tachinid flies whose larvae are parasitoids of other insects. The species is known from Mexico, though detailed biological information remains limited.