tachinid fly definition of tachinid fly in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

tachinid fly (tăk`ənĭd), common name for any of the flies fly, name commonly used for any of a variety of winged insects , but properly restricted to members of the order Diptera, the true flies, which includes the housefly , gnat , midge , mosquito , and tsetse fly .
..... Click the link for more information. of the family Tachinidae, which parasitize caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. Tachinid flies are generally small (about the size of houseflies), often bristly, and sometimes brilliantly colored. There are nearly 1300 North American species. The female typically lays her white oval eggs on the skin of the host insect, though the eggs of some species are inserted in the host's body, and the eggs of others are left in the host's environment, as for example on leaves, where the host will ingest them. The larvae feed on the host tissues, causing death. Tachinid flies are widely used as a means of biological control of insect pests. Some tachinid flies are themselves parasitized by certain wasps wasp, name applied to many winged insects of the order Hymenoptera, which also includes ants and bees. Most wasps are carnivorous, feeding on insects, grubs, or spiders. They have biting mouthparts, and the females have stings with which they paralyze their prey.
..... Click the link for more information. (see ichneumon fly ichneumon fly (ĭkn
..... Click the link for more information. ). Tachinid flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda Arthropoda (ärthrŏp`ədə) [Gr.,=jointed feet], largest and most diverse animal phylum.
..... Click the link for more information. , class Insecta, order Diptera, family Tachinidae.