Cylindromyia is a large genus of tachinid flies. It occurs worldwide. It occurs throughout the United States, from Maine to Florida, west to Washington and California.

Cylindromyia larvae are parasitic mostly on stink bugs (Family Pentatomidae), but also on emperor and giant silk moths (Family Saturniidae) and cutworm moths and allies (Family Noctuidae). They develop in the body of their host, and they hibernate in their second stage of development still within the host. When they emerge, they do not kill the host. They drop to the ground and pupate in the soil.

Adults are found from May through August visiting flowers in open, weedy areas.

Photo by Babette Kis

There are about 130 Cylindromyia species and 10 subgenera worldwide, 15 species and 5 subgenera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 5 species and 3 subgenera in Minnesota. Many species are “Unplaced to subgenus.”

Description

Adults are wasp mimics, with a narrow, constricted waist connecting the thorax to a long slender abdomen. When viewed from above, the first segment of the thorax is not visible. Most North American species have some red on the abdomen, on the sides, on the back, or both. Most species have “very evident” white bands at the base of some or all abdominal segments.


Distribution
		Sources 24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.
5/23/2024


Taxonomy
Order	Diptera (flies)
Suborder	Brachycera
Infraorder	Cyclorrhapha
Zoosection	Schizophora
Zoosubsection	Calyptratae
Superfamily	Oestroidea (bot flies, blow flies, and allies)
Family	Tachinidae (tachinid flies)
Subfamily	Phasiinae
Tribe	Cylindromyiini

Subordinate Taxa
Subgenus Apinocyptera Subgenus Calocyptera Subgenus Cylindromyia Subgenus Eucylindromyia Subgenus Exogaster Subgenus Gerocyptera Subgenus Ichneumonops Subgenus Malayocyptera Subgenus Neocyptera Subgenus Ocypterula

Synonyms
Androcyptera Aubaeina Catocyptera Chaetocyptera Conopisoma Cylindromya Dolichocyptera Dupuisia Ecatocyptera Ecatocypterops Elaphroptera Eocyptera Formicocyptera Melanocyptera Ociptera Ocyptea Ocyptera Ocypteropsis Ocypteryx Opsocyptera Parthenia Partheniella Plesiocyptera Thyrsocyptera Vespocyptera

Common Names
This genus has no common name. The common name for the family Tachinidae is tachinid flies, and it is applied here for convenience.

Glossary

Term

Definition


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Babette Kis

Cylindromyia sp. tachinid fly Cylindromyia sp., red and black tachinid fly on sweet black-eyed Susan. It flew rapidly from flower to flower. Photos taken at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI. on July 31, 2022.


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Cylindromyia
Andree Reno Sanborn

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Tachina Fly (Tachinidae: Cylindromyia) on Grassblade
Carl Barrentine

About

Jun 30, 2010

Photographed at Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (30 June 2010).

Cylindromyia: A Tachinid Fly on Hairy Asters
margy stewart

About

Nov 30, 2022

The white flaps under the wings are calypters, covering the halteres, vestigial hind wings evolved to aid in balance and sensory intake. Cylindromyia are members of a family whose larvae are parasitoids of other insects. The adult flies, however, visit flowers! These individuals visited the Hairy Asters volunteering in our backyard between October 28 and November 2, 2022.

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Babette Kis
7/31/2022

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Cylindromyia sp., red and black tachinid fly on sweet black-eyed Susan. It flew rapidly from flower to flower. Photos taken at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI. on July 31, 2022.