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Photo#1212342
Feather-Legged Fly - Trichopoda

Feather-Legged Fly - Trichopoda
Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, USA
April 18, 2016
Size: 6 mm
Small fly emerged from a Hemipteran.

Western Conifer Seed Bug: http://bugguide.net/node/view/1212346

Images of this individual: tag all
Feather-Legged Fly - Trichopoda Feather-Legged Fly - Trichopoda

Moved

Sunday
I caught a NorthEastern Sawfly yesterday

vacation
I'm going to be gone today, tomorrow, and the day after that.


I'll be back on Sunday.

Fly
It died. I think it lived for about a week.


Fly
I'll try to give it a stink bug to lay it's eggs in.


How many eggs does it lay?

 
Few per bug
You'll need a male and a female. I think this group lays one or a few eggs on each bug, but may lay 100 or more in total.

 
Fly
How can you tell the difference between Male and Female?

 
Tip of the abdomen
In the group of flies that look vaguely like house flies (aside from color), the male genitals are folded under so the tip is pointed forward. The tip of the abdomen is evenly rounded. I think you have a male. Female flies tend to have a telescopic ovipositor. The tip of the abdomen may have a small hole or look like nested cones.

According to our info page the sexes of Trichopoda pennipes differ in color, but that must be an average difference rather than a reliable character because I see exceptions. Your fly falls in between.

Here is the underside of a male Pollenia:

Moved
Moved from Flies.

Life Cycle
How log does a Parasitoid Fly live?

Parasitoid Fly
What kind of Fly is this Parasitoid Fly?

I think it is Trichopoda Pennipes.

Diet of parasitoid fly
What do they eat?

I'm trying to raise one, and can't figure out how to.

 
Flowers and bugs
Adults feed on flowers and presumably also sugar solution. They lay eggs on bugs, which larvae eat.

 
Flowers
What kind of flowers?

(I fed it Dandelions)

 
Nectar
They feed on nectar from a variety of flowers. Later in the year I've seen them on Queen Anne's Lace. Probably any flower with easily accessible nectar will do. Failing that, sugar water.

I don't know how long they live. Maybe a few weeks.

 
Thanks
Thanks

Trichopoda
Trichopoda.

 
Parasitoid Fly
Thanks!

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