1 Real TACHINID FLY WET SPECIMEN TACHINID FLY DRY SPECIMEN.

Description

We Got The Bug's
YOU GET 1 WET SPECIMEN TACHINID FLY
About the Tachinid fly:
The Tachinid fly (also know as
Tachinidae and/or tachina flies or simply tachinids
) is a large family of parasitoid flies that lay their eggs in host insects (usually caterpillars). The fly eggs hatch and feed on the host insects, eventually killing the host and emerging as a larva (maggot) that then turns into a fly. One type of Tachinid fly targets the Monarch caterpillar (see images above and below). This Tachinid fly injects its egg or eggs into the Monarch caterpillar, where the eggs hatch and grow as parasoids, eventually killing the caterpillar (or chrysalis). I've actually seen a Tachinid fly land on and inject its egg into a Monarch caterpillar. From what I've witnessed, the fly doesn't really land on and sit on the caterpillar. Instead it's more of a hit-and-run. The fly just touches the caterpillar and leaves, and the caterpillar spasms and drops to the ground, where it writhes and thrashes about, appearing to attempt to rub its back on the ground to dislodge whatever has just hurt it. I've only seen a Tachinid fly hit a caterpillar twice, and it's a blink-of-the-eye thing... usually I just see flies in the area, and then I will notice a caterpillar drop to the ground and wiggle and flop. All of the sources I've read have said the Tachinid fly targets the Monarch caterpillar, but one source said the fly can also inject its egg into a Monarch egg. I am trying to determine if this is true. As you'll also read below, I tried raising two "wild" Monarch caterpillars that were only about a 1/4" long, and they both eventually died from Tachinid maggots. I used to think Tachinid flies only targeted big caterpillars, but from my experience with the 1/4" long caterpillars eventually dying, it is clear to me that Tachinid flies can also target (inject) small Monarch caterpillars. What is unclear is if the Tachinid fly also targets
the Monarch egg, as well as what can be done about the dreaded Tachinid fly.