Ichneumon Fly—A Valuable Parasite
Ally in Your Gardens
The ichneumon fly is related to wasps. It's sometimes known as the ichneumon wasp.This fly's larvae are parasitic on many other insects. They are harmless to humans and trees, and in fact help to keep many insect pests under control. There are over 3,000 species of the ichneumon fly throughout the United States, although there are none in the Southwest. The female fly has a long ovipositor capable of penetrating through several inches of an insect-infested tree trunk to the caterpillars and other larvae within the trunk. The ovipositor is like a hypodermic needle and is protected inside a long black sheath. It can penetrate wood with ease despite its delicate appearance. She feels the wood with the antennae on the front of her head, searching for the larvae in the wood. She then uses the ovipositor to lay eggs inside the bodies of the insects it finds. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the body of the host. The adults feed on nectar from flowers, which helps to cross-pollinate the flowers. They also feed on aphid honeydew. Ichneumon flies are an important parasitic insect. They eliminate an incredible number of pest bugs. To encourage them to protect your gardens, they'll need garden, forest edge, border ridge or field brush with flowers from which they can feed on nectar. And don't clear away garden debris in the fall. These flies will sleep during winter in foliage, moss and chips on the ground. From Ichneumon Fly to Beneficial Insects D-L
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