Diptera: Tachinidae
Identification
• Adults are hairy, gray or brown, 3/8 - 1 inch long, and resemble
house flies.
Host Range
• Tachinids attack many hosts—corn borers, corn earworms, cabbage loopers,
imported cabbage worms, armyworms, Japanese beetles, and squash bugs.
Life Cycle
• Tachinids have complete metamorphosis. Most deposit eggs directly
on the body of their host, often just behind the head. When the eggs hatch,
the fly larvae burrow into the host and feed internally until they are
fully developed. They then leave the host and pupate nearby. Tachinids
can have several generations per year.
• These flies are endoparasites (feed inside host), even though the
eggs may start outside the host.
Other Information
• Tachinids are very valuable naturally occurring parasites, but are
not commercially available.