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Tennessee | United States

Feather-legged Fly


Fly | Trichopoda lanipes



Entry Last Edited: 05/31/2023 | Content ©www.BugsOfTennessee.com

Insect Order

DIPTERA
Order Diptera encompasses about 20,000 species across North America (not including Mexico). These mostly daytime flyers are a common sight during the long summer days across Tennessee on land and near bodies of water. Flies belong to this order and feature sucking mouthparts as well as a second set of full wings - the latter making them excellent flyers. The dreaded mosquito also belongs to the order and females of the species sport blood-sucking mouthparts. Beyond these two, Crane Flies, Gnats, and Bee Flies also belong to the group.


Taxonomy

The Taxonomic Breakdown is the scientific way to categorize a partocular insect species from its largest group (Animalia) to its smallest (variable). The Genus and Species categorizations taken together make up the species' scientific name shown above, in this case Trichopoda lanipes.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Tachinidae
Genus: Trichopoda
Species: lanipes


Characteristics

Indoor insect icon
Indoors: Can be found indoors; inside dwellings.
Nocturnal insect icon
Nocturnal: Most likely to be spotted during night time hours.
Outdoor insect icon
Outdoors: Typically found across the great outdoors.
Six-Legged insect icon
Six-Legged: Six legs are common to this insect.
Small / Tiny insect icon
Small / Tiny: Noticeably small to the naked eye.
Winged insect icon
Winged: Has wings to hop or fly over distance.


Description

The Feather-legged Fly has been identified by site users by the following descriptors:

small    agile    flying    wings    winged    outdoors    six-legged    summer    indoors    black    blue    light    transparent    eyes    hairy    furry    grey    gray


Sighting Guide

The general likelihood of encountering this insect based on a given month of the year in the state of Tennessee. Generally, the best sighting months are June through August with peak occurring in July.

41F
JAN
44F
FEB
53F
MAR
62F
APR
70F
MAY
78F
JUN
80F
JUL
79F
AUG
73F
SEP
62F
OCT
52F
NOV
44F
DEC

Size

Below is a representation of the 'smallest-small' and 'largest-large' sizes commonly associated with the Feather-legged Fly. Due to monitor differences, sizes may not be exact on your particular screen. Conversions to millimeters are provided for convenience.

Lowest-Low:
0.24 inches
(6 mm)
Highest-High:
0.47 inches
(12 mm)


Diet

It has a typical diet of the following: Squash Bugs; South Green Stink Bugs; Florida Leaf-footed Bugs..

Identifying Colors

Below you will find the colors most commonly associated with the Feather-legged Fly. Both Primary and Secondary colors are represented in the showcase. Due to monitor differences, colors may not be exact representations.

GRAY
BLACK


Tennessee County Reach

The Feather-legged Fly can be found in the following Tennessee counties:

Anderson; Bedford; Benton; Bledsoe; Blount; Bradley; Campbell; Cannon; Carroll; Carter; Cheatham; Chester; Claiborne; Clay; Cocke; Coffee; Crockett; Cumberland; Davidson; De Kalb; Decatur; Dickson; Dyer; Fayette; Fentress; Franklin; Gibson; Giles; Grainger; Greene; Grundy; Hamblen; Hamilton; Hancock; Hardeman; Hardin; Hawkins; Haywood; Henderson; Henry; Hickman; Houston; Humphreys; Jackson; Jefferson; Johnson; Knox; Lake; Lauderdale; Lawrence; Lewis; Lincoln; Loudon; Macon; Madison; Marion; Marshall; Maury; McMinn; McNairy; Meigs; Monroe; Montgomery; Moore; Morgan; Obion; Overton; Perry; Pickett; Polk; Putnam; Rhea; Roane; Robertson; Rutherford; Scott; Sequatchie; Sevier; Shelby; Smith; Stewart; Sullivan; Sumner; Tipton; Trousdale; Unicoi; Union; Van Buren; Warren; Washington; Wayne; Weakley; White; Williamson; Wilson


Feather-legged Fly Picture (1)

1 of 1
Image of an adult Feather-legged Fly actively on a flower.; Credit: Mark W. of Hamilton, Ontario.
This image is original to www.InsectIdentification.org; Used with Permission.

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