THE INSECTS OF CEDAR CREEK

Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order DIPTERA

Family TACHINIDAE

(Tachinid Flies)

(Table of Species)

The Tachinidae comprise a large diverse family of bristly flies with a postscutellum. They are parasitic on a variety of insect hosts including larval Lepidoptera, Symphyta, and Coleoptera. A number attack nymphal or adult Heteroptera or Coleoptera, and a few attack Orthoptera. There is perhaps no invertebrate group that is immune from attack, but the majority of hosts appear to be Lepidoptera larvae. With 1227 described species in NA (and many more undescribed), the Tachinids are likely the most speciose fly family on the continent. More than 70 species have been collected at Cedar Creek, but the collection contains much undetermined material. Many more species are likely to occur here. Many of the ID's below must be considered tentative. Five subfamilies are recognized.

PHASIINAE
The Phasiinae attack nymphal and adult Heteroptera and Coleoptera. Genera collected include: Cylindromyia, Leucostoma, Gymnoclytia, Gymnosoma, Euclytia, Hemyda, Xanthomelanodes, Trichopoda, Epigrimyia, Phasia, Strongygaster........

PROSENINAE
The Proseninae attack primarily Coleoptera and Lepidoptera larvae. Ormia attacks nocturnal Orthoptera. Myiophasia attacks weevil grubs. Genera collected include: Microphthalma (tiny mouth) and Arctophyto. Both of these genera attack scarab grubs.

TACHININAE
The Tachininae attack primarily Lepidoptera larvae, but the genus Lypha attacks Chrysomelid grubs. Other genera collected include: Peleteria, Archytas, Epalpus, Wagneria, Lydina, Linnaemya, Hystricia=Bombyliopsis, Jurinia, Cyrtophleba, Dichocera, Athrycia. Epalpus signifer is a large gold/blue-black bristly tachinid of late spring.

DEXIINAE
The Dexiinae attack primarily LEP and COL larvae. Ptilodexia (Lepidoptera larvae?) is one of the most common Tachinids found on Solidago blooms in the fall. Other genera collected include: Uramya, Genea, Dexia, Paradidyma, Muscopteryx, Esteria?, Blepharoxipha?...........

GONIINAE
The Goniinae is a large subfamily that attacks primarily LEP larvae. (Three uncollected exceptions are Acemya on Orthoptera, Aplomiopsis on Chrysomelidae, and Admontia on Tipulidae.) Tentative ID's of genera collected include: Distichona, Nemorilla, Euexorista,Frontiniella, Aplomya, Phytomyptera,Tachinomyia, Gonia, Leschenaultia, Winthemia, Gnadochaeta?..............

jhaar@lter.umn.edu