The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

The Tachinidae are parasitic flies and include about 255 species.

They are typically bristly flies, with the early stages developing inside the developing stages of other insects such as Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and even other Diptera! They are frequently reared by those keeping and breeding insects, as well as being familiar flies on flowers or basking in warm situations. Adults can be swept or caught in Malaise traps and should be carefully preserved to retain their full complement of bristles, which offer many good identification characters.

The RES Handbook by Belshaw (1993) is much easier to use than previous keys, but care and patience is needed for identifying these flies. Keeping a reference collection and making genitalia preparations for some genera will be essential if you wish to make good progress with the family.

The scheme has its own website, which contains much useful information (including updates to the RES Handbook).

Organisers:
Matt Smith, email: matt.smith@tachinidae.org.uk
Chris Raper, email: chris.raper@hartslock.org.uk