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Project Noah Nature School
Trichopoda pennipes
Size 7-13 mm - Thorax yellowish to brown with black patterns, abdomen yellowish to amber. Eyes reddish. Wings smoky black, yellowish near body and margin transparent. Hind legs are hairy. Bright orange abdomen, velvety black head and thorax, and a fringe of short black hairs on the hind legs. - Male: ferrugineous spot in the wing, abdomen dark orange at apex; - female: wing evenly dusky, abdominal tip black.
Range Most of the US + ON - Hosts: various Pentatomoidea (Coreidae, Largidae, Pentatomidae, Scutelleridae); also recorded ex Tenodera australasiae (a mantid) -
Life Cycle: Female lays one to several eggs on a host. The hatched larvae burrow into the bug's body, though only one larva per host will survive. Eventually a cream-colored maggot exits the host (which soon dies) and pupates in a dark puparium in the soil; adult emerges ~2 weeks later. There are up to 3 generations a year depending on location; larvae may overwinter inside overwintering hosts. - Used to control of heteropteran pests; may hover above squash plants in search of prey. - According to Paul Beuk, has been "introduced into Europe and is now frequently spotted in the south. Its exotic appearance has dumbfounded many a European entomologist." - Found on my Carolina Cherry Laurel.
Thanks again Cindy! That was all interesting. Thank you Adarsha and Agnes. I'm getting hooked on these flies. ")
Spotted on Mar 12, 2013
Submitted on Mar 13, 2013
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