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ichneumon fly

ichneumon fly , common name for a family of insects , related to the wasps , whose larvae are parasitic on many other insects. Over 3,000 species of ichneumon flies, also known as ichneumon wasps, are found throughout the United States except in the Southwest. The female has an extremely long ovipositor capable of piercing through several inches of insect-infested tree trunk to the caterpillars and other larvae within. When the eggs hatch, the ichneumon larvae feed on the body of the host. One species parasitizes the aquatic larva of the caddisfly, and the female must dive to the underwater burrow of the host to deposit her eggs. Ichneumon flies are harmless to humans and trees, and in fact help to keep many insect pests under control. Other wasps, such as the braconid wasps, are also larval parasites of insect hosts. Ichneumon flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda , class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, family Ichneumonidae.

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	ichneumon fly Book article from: World Encyclopedia ichneumon fly Parasitic insect that attacks other insects and spiders. Found worldwide, they are characterized by an ovipositor that is often longer than the body. They are usually 1cm (0.4in) long. Family Ichneumonidae. Read more
	tachinid fly Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ...a means of biological control of insect pests. Some tachinid flies are themselves parasitized by certain wasps (see ichneumon fly ). Tachinid flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda , class Insecta, order Diptera, family Tachinidae. Read more
	sawfly Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ...and chewing mouthparts. Both the sawfly and the closely related horntail, whose burrowing larvae are the hosts of the ichneumon fly , lack the characteristic constricted abdomen of other hymenopterans. Sawfly larvae resemble caterpillars; some are... Read more
	Hymenoptera Book article from: A Dictionary of Biology Hymenoptera An order of insects that includes the ants, bees, wasps, ichneumon flies, and sawflies. Hymenopterans generally have a narrow waist between thorax and abdomen. The smaller hindwings are interlocked... Read more
	parasite Book article from: World Encyclopedia ...x2019;. In parasitoidism , the relationship results in the death of the host. For example, various flying insects, such as the ichneumon flies, lay their eggs on or in a host that becomes the food for the insect larvae. A hyperparasite is one that parasitizes... Read more

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