Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Tiny

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

Southeast Asia

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Uncommon

About

The Bermudagrass Stem Maggot is a tiny fly that lays its eggs in the stems of grass, mostly Bermuda and stargrass. They live in the soil beneath the grass, where they feed on the roots and eventually pupate.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Muscidae

Genus

Atherigona

Species

Atherigona reversura