Possibly Tachinid, Phasia hemiptera.

[Gerel]

Hi,

this was caught in a spider web hence its less than perfect condition. The purple wing markings and orange hairs on the thorax point to Phasia hemiptera but I could be way off.

Confirmation or correction welcome.





Regards

Steve

[aeshna5]

Looks like it to me.

[Matt Smith]

It is indeed Phasia hemiptera. Could I have the record details so I can add it to the Tachinid Recording Scheme database please.

Thanks.

Matt

www.Tachinidae.org.uk

[Gerel]

Thanks for the confirmation both.

I read that these are parasites on Pentatoma ssp.including the Forest Bug, P. rufipes which I have seen in large numbers in the same area this year.

E-mail of record details sent Matt.

Steve

[Gerel]

Am I right in thinking that this one found today is the female? It looks right to me but is only half the size of the male above. Does the sexual dimorphism extend to size as well as colouring?



Steve

[Jason Green]

Evening Gerel,

Yes - they have clear wings I read on here recently. Still, Matt's the Tach man so I'll leave it to him to confirm

Take care,

Jason

[Matt Smith]

Originally Posted by Gerel

Am I right in thinking that this one found today is the female? It looks right to me but is only half the size of the male above. Does the sexual dimorphism extend to size as well as colouring?

Yes - this is the female of Phasia hemiptera even if it is fairly small, the orange hairs on the thorax rule it out from being the "next size down" species (P.obesa) and the clear wings mean its a female.

Adult size in Tachinids (and other parasitic insects) can be highly varaiable, a lot is dependant on how well the host did in terms of feeding etc. Small, poorly fed hosts can produce much smaller parasites than large well fed ones. If you look at a good museum collection of Phasia hemiptera you will see a huge range of variation, large ones can be twice the size of small ones.

Could I have the record details for the Recording Scheme please?

Matt