Tachinid Fly - Gymnosoma

of Eastern Washington

Tachinid flies are a natural check to a variety of plant-feeding insects which have could otherwise do great damage agricultural crops. Larva of these Gymnosoma flies are lethal parasites of bugs such as the green soldier stink bug, which damages orchard fruit including as apples and apricots. These beneficials also use beetles as hosts. Adult Gymnosoma flies sustain themselves on nectar from summer flowers such as buckwheat and rabbitbrush; thus, these plants support their beneficial but unseen egg-laying hunt.

Other tachinid flies seek out cutworms, loopers, cabbageworms, armyworms, among an extensive menu of plant-attacking beetles and bugs. The economic benefit provided to agriculture by tachinid flies is tough to estimate but certainly enormous.

» See other Tachinid Flies from Eastern Washington

Tachinid fly nectaring on gray rabbitbrush

Tachinid fly

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