Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 488

Tachinid flies are a diverse family of flies with varying reproductive strategies. Most species are either parasitoids or parasites, with larvae developing inside a host insect. They have different modes of oviposition and host invasion, with some laying eggs directly onto the host's skin and others injecting eggs into the host's body. Tachinids are important natural enemies of insect pests and are used in biological pest control, but certain species can also attack useful insects. Adult tachinid flies feed on flowers and nectar and can be important pollinators. The family originated in the middle Eocene, and the oldest known fossil dates back to that time.