This Tachinid fly is approximately 3/8 inch (9 mm) long. It has black hairy legs, black thorax lightly covered with hair, blue black abdomen with long bristly hair, brown eyes and whitish face. It has the typical appearance of many Tachinid flies. It was identified with the help of volunteer experts at BugGuide.
This species is found coast to coast but it appears to be more common in the eastern U.S. and Canada. It is probably common in this area and it has been photographed twice, once in June 2014 and again in October 2016.
There are 15 species in the genus Archytas in North America. This Tachinid fly is a parasitoid of moth caterpillars. The female lays her eggs directly on a caterpillar. When the eggs hatch the larvae burrow into the caterpillar and feed internally until they are ready to pupate at which time they emerge and form a pupa nearby.
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