Tachinaephagus zealandicus
This record describes Tachinaephagus zealandicus (species). Recorded family: Encyrtidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A gregarious larval endoparasitoid of muscoid flies -- Geden and Skovgård 2014.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Chalcidoidea
- Family
- Encyrtidae (Encyrtid Wasps)
- Subfamily
- Encyrtinae
- Genus
- Tachinaephagus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Native to Australia, widely introduced elsewhere for biocontrol of muscoid flies. Introduced to California in 1967. Found in many states nowadays.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: A number of Muscoid flies, including house flies, altough it prefers calliphorids and sarcophagis.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Tachinaephagus zealandicus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Tachinaephagus zealandicus (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John F. Carr; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset
Frequently Asked Questions About Tachinaephagus zealandicus
What is Tachinaephagus zealandicus?
Tachinaephagus zealandicus is a species in the family Encyrtidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
Where is Tachinaephagus zealandicus found?
Range: Native to Australia, widely introduced elsewhere for biocontrol of muscoid flies. Introduced to California in 1967. Found in many states nowadays.
What does Tachinaephagus zealandicus eat?
The diet of the Tachinaephagus zealandicus includes A number of Muscoid flies, including house flies, altough it prefers calliphorids and sarcophagis..