Early tachinid fly

Description

Early tachinid fly is a robust bristly fly. It occurs throughout the United States and southern Canada. It occurs in eastern Minnesota but is not common. Adults are found from April through June in meadows, fields, and other open places. They feed on flower nectar. Larvae are internal parasites of the caterpillars of pinion moths (Lithophane spp.).

Adults are ¼″ to ½″ (6 to 13 mm) long.

There are two large compound eyes, one on each side of the head, and three simple eyes (ocelli) in a small triangle on top of the head. The compound eyes on both sexes are dark brown, bare, and broadly separated at the top of the head. The antennae are are short and have three segments. The first segment is orange and short. The second segment is orange and elongated, much longer than wide. The third segment is black and has a large, black, forward-pointing bristle (arista) at the base. The arista is bare, not feather-like (plumose). The face is white or tan.

The thorax is light brown or olive-gray with dark streaks. It is dull, not shiny. It is covered with numerous short, black, bristle-like hairs (setae), and several parallel rows of long black bristles. There is a small black spot on the thorax at the base of each bristle.

The abdomen is black and slightly shiny. There are 2 or 3 pairs of median marginal bristles on abdominal segment 3, a group of discal bristles on segment 4, and a triangular, white or tan mark on the segment 5.

The wings are clear but tinted brown. The fifth radial cell (R₅) is narrowed but open at the wingtip.

The legs are dark brown.

Size

Total length: ¼″ to ½″ (6 to 13 mm)

Similar Species

Habitat

Meadows, fields, and other open places

Ecology

Season

April through June

Behavior

Life Cycle

Larva Food/Hosts

Caterpillars of pinion moths (Lithophane spp.)

Adult Food

Flower nectar