Species Sarcophaga aldrichi - Friendly Fly

Classification · Identification · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Calyptratae)

Superfamily Oestroidea

Family Sarcophagidae (Flesh Flies)

Subfamily Sarcophaginae

Genus Sarcophaga

Species aldrichi (Friendly Fly)

Identification

Similar to house flies but larger.

Food

Parasitize tent caterpillars.

Life Cycle

Adult flies show up a few weeks before tent caterpillars make their coccoons. The maggots feed on tent caterpillars and drop to the ground where they pupate.

Remarks

Appear in large numbers when tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp. and Lymantria dispar) are abundant. They help control tent caterpillar populations.

They are called friendly flies because they land on people or animales in large numbers but don't bite.

Internet References

Minessota Department of Natural Resources.

NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Contributed by Tony-2 on 15 April, 2007 - 2:21pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset
Last updated 12 November, 2008 - 5:11pm

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