The Tachinidae are a large and variable family of true flies within the insect order Diptera, with more than 8,200 known species and many more to be discovered. Over 1,300 species have been described in North America alone. Insects in this family commonly are called tachinid flies or simply tachinids. As far as is known, they all are protelean parasitoids, or occasionally parasites, of arthropods, usually other insects. The family is known from many habitats in all zoogeographical regions and is especially diverse in South America.
The Colorado potato beetle, also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle, or the potato bug, is a major pest of potato crops. It is about 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each of its elytra. Native to the Rocky Mountains, it spread rapidly in potato crops across America and then Europe from 1859 onwards.
Coccinellidae is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from 0.8 to 18 mm. The family is commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world. Entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not classified as true bugs.
Gymnosoma amplifrons is a Nearctic species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Gymnosoma canadense is a Nearctic species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Celatoria is a genus of parasitic flies in the family Tachinidae. Larvae are parasitoids of leaf beetles.
Myiopharus is a genus of flies in the family Tachinidae.
Ligeria latigena is a North America species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Lebia grandis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae found in North America. It is a specialist predator on the eggs and larvae of Colorado potato beetles, and its larvae are obligate parasitoids of Colorado potato beetle pupae.
Euthera tentatrix is a species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Leucostoma acirostre is a North American species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Leucostoma dapsile is a North American species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Leucostoma gravipes is a North American species of fly in the family Tachinidae.
Zygogramma exclamationis, commonly known as the sunflower beetle, is a species of leaf beetle belonging to the family Zygogramma. It is regarded as a pest of sunflower crops in North America.
Istocheta aldrichi, the winsome fly, is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. Originally from Japan, it has been introduced in North America in 1922 as a biocontrol to combat the Japanese beetle. It is established in northeastern North America.
Freraea montana is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae.
Madremyia saundersii is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae.
Thelairodoria setinervis is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae.
Myothyriopsis picta is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae.
Zelia vertebrata is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae. It is a long-bodied fly with strong abdominal bristles and a distinctive abdominal pattern that resembles vertebrae. It has a widespread North American range, with records stretching from east to west from Washington to Maine, north to south from Québec to Florida. Its larval stage parasitizes beetles. It is most active during the day.
