Eriothrix rufomaculata
Eriothrix rufomaculatus is a fly in the family Tachinidae.[3]
Eriothrix rufomaculata | |
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Male | |
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Female | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Tachinidae |
Subfamily: | Dexiinae |
Tribe: | Voriini |
Genus: | Eriothrix |
Species: | E. rufomaculata |
Binomial name | |
Eriothrix rufomaculata | |
Synonyms[2] | |
Distribution
This species is present in most of Europe and in European Russia. It can be found in Britain, where it is quite widespread throughout the country. It is also found in Ireland.[4][5]
Habitat
These rather common flies mainly inhabit hedge rows,[6] grasslands or sunny rough ground, meadows, ruderal areas and fields.[7]
Description
![](../I/Tachinid_fly_(Eriothrix_rufomaculata).jpg.webp)
Eriothrix rufomaculatus can reach a length of 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) and a wingspan of 13–15 mm.[6] This bristly species shows a greyish thorax with four narrow black stripes and a prominent but quite variable orange patches on the sides of its cylindrical abdomen, separated by a dorsal black line. Its face is silvery, with a protruding mouth edge. The legs are black. Wings are slightly shaded, yellowish at the base. Vein-m is petiolate and costal spine is longer than vein r-m.[7][8][9][10]
Biology
Eriothrix rufomaculatus is a univoltine species. Adults can be found from July to October. They are flower feeders, visiting in particular members of the Umbelliferae (especially Heracleum sphondylium) and Asteraceae. The species is parasitic, the larvae developing inside the subterranean larvae of moths, especially of crambid moths (Chrysoteuchia culmella,[3] Crambidae), tiger moths (Ammobiota festiva, Erebidae), lappet moths (Dendrolimus pini, Lasiocampidae) and ermine moths (Yponomeutidae)).[6][7][11]
References
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- De Geer, C. (1776). Memoires pour servir a l'histoire des insectes. Stockholm: P. Hesselberg. pp. viii + 523 pp., 30 pls.
- Catalogue of life
- BioLib.cz
- Fauna Europaea
- O’Hara, James E.; Shannon, J. Henderson; D. Monty, Wood (5 March 2020). "World Checklist of the Tachinidae" (PDF). Tachinidae Resources. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- J.K. Lindsey Commanster
- Tachinid Recording Scheme
- Chandler, Peter J. (1998). Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Vol. 12. London: Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 1–234. ISBN 0-901546-82-8.
- Belshaw, Robert (1993). "Tachinid Flies Diptera Tachinidae". Royal Entomological Society Handbooks. Royal Entomological Society of London. 10 (4ai): 170.
- van Emden, F.I. (1954). "Diptera Cyclorrhapha Calyptrata (I) Section (a) Tachinidae & Calliphoridae". Royal Entomological Society Handbooks. Royal Entomological Society of London. 10 (4a): 133.
- NBN Atlas