Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Clickable Guide

Interactive image map to choose major taxa Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

Upcoming Events

National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Species Pseudacteon tricuspis

Representative Images

Pseudacteon fly attacking fire ants - Pseudacteon tricuspis - female Pseudacteon fly attacking fire ants - Pseudacteon tricuspis - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Aschiza")
Superfamily Platypezoidea
Family Phoridae (Scuttle Flies)
Subfamily Metopininae
Genus Pseudacteon (Fire Ant Decapitating Flies)
Species tricuspis (Pseudacteon tricuspis)

Remarks

Introduced from South America starting in 1997 to control the invasive South American fire ant Solenopsis invicta. It doesn't seem to have a significant impact, though.
released along with P. curvatus (Porter et.al., Florida Entomologist 84(4), Dec 2001)

Print References

Henne, Donald C. et al. 2007. Status of the Fire Ant Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon tricuspis (Diptera: Phoridae) in Louisiana. The Florida Entomologist 90(3):565-569.

Internet References

Cornell U.
USDA
TAMU
Contributed by David Almquist on 7 May, 2013 - 6:19pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Vox Sciurorum
Last updated 27 September, 2016 - 2:39pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact