Lespesia archippivora

Mating occurs within the first day after the fly emerged from its pupa stage. After mating, the female begins to locate a host. She acts quickly when she finds a host, ovipositing at the posterior end of the caterpillar. The female fly places relatively large eggs on the host. The maggot then hatches and burrows through the surface of the host. Total brood size varies, but typically ranges from 1-10 maggots per host. After infection, Lespesia archippivora maggots go through three larval instars, exit their hosts as a late stage larva and hide under soil substrate. While residing inside its host, the maggot moves freely. After 3 days, the fly larva adheres itself close to a spiracle (breathing tube) of the infected caterpillar. As the maggot continues to mature, it eventually consumes the internal contents of its host. The fly larva then leaves its host. The fly pupates and emerges as a mature fly approximately 10 to 14 days later. A mature female fly lays between 15 and 204 eggs in her lifetime.