Caterpillar Tachinid vs White Pine Weevil

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Caterpillar Tachinid White Pine Weevil
Scientific Name Lydella thompsoni Pissodes strobi
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Tachinidae Curculionidae
Size 5-8 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Parasites Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Caterpillar Tachinid

A small gray parasitic fly that attacks European corn borer larvae. It was introduced to North America as a biological control agent.

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Did You Know?

Females deposit live larvae rather than eggs directly onto the host caterpillar.

White Pine Weevil

A small, mottled brown weevil that attacks the leading shoots of spruce and pine trees. Damage causes trees to grow crooked, devaluing timber.

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Did You Know?

By killing only the topmost leader shoot, it forces the tree to develop multiple competing tops, producing a characteristically forked trunk.