Phasia hemiptera

Taxobox
name = "Phasia hemiptera"
status =


image_caption = "Phasia hemiptera" male on flower
image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota
ordo = Diptera
subordo = Brachycera
infraordo = Muscomorpha
zoosubsectio = Calyptratae
superfamilia = Oestroidea
familia = Tachinidae
subfamilia = Tachininae
tribus = Phasiini
genus = "Phasia"
species = "P. hemiptera"
binomial = "Phasia hemiptera"
binomial_authority = Fabricius, 1794
synonyms = *"Phasia affinis" (Fabricius, 1794)
*"Phasia subcoleoptrata" (Fabricius, 1775)
*"Syrphus affinis" Fabricius, 1794
*"Syrphus hemipterus" Fabricius, 1794
*"Syrphus subcoleoptratus" Fabricius, 1775

"Phasia hemiptera" is a tachinid fly found throughout Northern and Southern Europe. It is a strongly sexually dimorphic species, males being more colourful with curved patterned wings. Like most tachinid flies, the female lays her eggs on other insects, the larvae then develop inside the living host, devouring it and eventually killing it. Its main hosts are the Forest bug ("Pentatoma rufipes") and the Green shield bug ("Palomena prasina"). In the UK their are usually two generations per year, from April to June and then Mid July to September.

It is not uncommon for it to be misidentified as a hoverfly.