# Common Tachinid (*Tachina fera*) The Common Tachinid is a friendly fly that helps nature by eating pests. They have fuzzy bodies and can be found buzzing around gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Common Tachinid](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Thomas_Bresson_-_Tachina_fera_%28by%29.JPG&width=800) Photo: Thomas Bresson, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Bresson_-_Tachina_fera_%28by%29.JPG) ## Appearance The Common Tachinid has a robust, bristly body, often grey or dark with pale stripes on its thorax and a distinct reddish-orange tip on its abdomen. It possesses prominent bristles all over its body, making it look much hairier and spikier than a typical housefly. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Tachinidae - **Genus:** Tachina ## Interesting facts - Many tachinid flies use a special tube called an ovipositor to lay eggs right inside their host! - Some tachinid flies can even drop their eggs on plants, hoping a host will eat them! - Their eggs are tiny, white, and often look like little grains of rice stuck on a host. - There are over 8,200 different kinds of tachinid flies all around the world! ## Special abilities - **Host Hunter:** Common Tachinid can lay its eggs directly onto or into other insects, ensuring its young have food. - **Bristle Armor:** Common Tachinid has stiff bristles covering its body that might help deter predators or navigate dense foliage. - **Parasitic Power:** Common Tachinid has a life cycle that helps control pest populations by parasitizing caterpillars. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 12-25 mm - **Size:** 6-13 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar, but their young are tiny insect warriors that eat other insects from the inside! - **Age differences:** Adults drink flower nectar, but their larvae live inside and consume caterpillars or other insect larvae. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Caterpillars, Beetle Larvae ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** Gypsy Moth (*Lymantria dispar*) — Their larvae develop inside the moth caterpillars. - **Parasitizes:** Cabbage White Butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — The fly's larvae feed on the butterfly's caterpillars. - **Parasitizes:** Cabbage Moth (*Mamestra brassicae*) — A known host for the tachinid larvae to grow. - **Eaten by:** [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Argiope aurantia*) — Adult flies can become prey for these orb-weaving spiders. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch flies, but enjoy watching them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Tachinid? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Common Tachinid's wingspan? 12-25 mm ### How big is Common Tachinid? 6-13 mm ### How long does Common Tachinid live? 14-30 days ### How fast can Common Tachinid fly? 15 km/h ### What does Common Tachinid eat? Adults sip nectar, but their young are tiny insect warriors that eat other insects from the inside! ### Where is Common Tachinid usually found? Grasslands ### How many legs does Common Tachinid have? 6 ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Common Tachinid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-tachinid)