Why is the ichneumon fly known as the farmer's friend? The Ichneumon fly is known as the farmer’s friend because it controls a great many plant pests. Species have even been transported by man to colonize areas where artificial pest controls have not been successful. Ichneumon flies, of which there are thousands of species spread throughout the world, are parasitic-and their larvae feed on caterpillars, pupae and larvae of other insects. Larva (plural, larvae) is the name given to an insect from the time it leaves the egg till it is transformed into the pupa or grub. The pupa (plural, pupae) is the name given to the chrysalis. The female fly lays her eggs in or on the larvae or pupae of the host species. When the maggotlike parasitic larvae hatch out, they feed on the body fats and fluids of the host until they are fully grown. Then the parasitic larva spin cocoons within which they pupate and from whence the adult fly emerges. In the case of parasitic larvae breeding inside the host, the latter behaves normally until shortly before the uninvited guest larva has fully developed. There are some ichneumon flies which live on other ichneumon flies and these are called hyperparasitic. The different species of ichneumon vary greatly in size and the range extends, from 1" up to 1 ½2" in length. For Details
Related Articles -
Why, is, the, ichneumon, fly, known, as, the, farmer's, friend,
|