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Nealsomyia rufella

Basic information
Scientific name Nealsomyia rufella

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Adult Bagworm parasitized by fly pupae
Common names
Higher taxon Tachinidae, Diptera
Natural range India, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Vietnam, continental China, etc.
Habitat Distributed in tropical to temperate regions. Parasite on Eumeta variegata.
Invasion information
Range in Japan Kanto District to western Japan Range in Japan
Origin Possibly continental China.
Date The first record in Japan was in 1995 at Fukuoka City. In Osaka City, this species may be established since 1994.
Route Unknown. Possibly by some accidental route. This species was used for biological control of bagworm Eumeta variegata in Shangdong, eastern continental China, in early 1990s. The Japanese species is possibly introduced from Shangdong.
Impact Parasite on the bagworm Eumeta variegata. Japan populations of E. variegata, a common bagwrom in urban area in past, was seriously declined by this fly, and listed in local red lists of 8 prefectures. In some region, other bagworms (e.g., E. minuscula) have increased in urban area after decline of E. variegata.
Regulation in Japan No action for prevention, mitigation, control, or eradication.
Introduced range in other countries None.
Reference Notes
  • Arakawa et al. (2006) Host-Parasitoid relationship between bagworm, Eumeta variegata and parasitic fly, Nealsomyia rufella in Kochi prefecture, Japan. The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 15-20 (in Jpn)
  • Arakawa. A bagworm is very lovely (Accessed on 2012-5-15) http://www.cc.kochi-u.ac.jp/~arakawar/bagworm/08seminarslide.pdf.
  • Kanazawa et al. (2002) Fauna of the bagworm moth, especially on Eumeta variegata (Snellen) in city parts of the Kinki district of Japan (Insecta: Lepidoptera). Bull Osaka Mus Nat Hist. 56, 45-52. (in Jpn)
  • Niitsu (2006) The declining population of Eumeta variegata in the Kanto district. The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 9-11 (in Jpn)
  • O’Hara (ed) (1996) The Tachinid Times (Accessed on 2012-5-15) http://www.nadsdiptera.org/Tach/TTimes/TT09.pdf
  • Saegusa (2006) Japanese population of a psychid, Eumeta variegata destructively decreased by a tachnid, Nealsomyia rufella. The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 2-3 (in Jpn)
  • Sawada & Arakawa (2002) Field parasitism of bagworm, Eumeta variegata (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) by the newly invaded parasitic fly, Nealsomyia rufella (Diptera: Tachinidae) in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Jpn J Entomol (N.S.). 5(4), 111-119 (in Jpn with English abst)
  • Sugimoto (2006) The present situation of Eumeta variegata in Kyushu. The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 20-24 (in Jpn)
  • Tachi (2006) The parasitic strategy in Nealsomyia rufella (Bezzi). The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 4-8 (in Jpn)
  • Wakazono & Funakoshi (2001) Internal conditions of bagworms of five large species of the Psychidae (Lepidoptera). Trans Lepid Soc Jpn. 53(1), 63-68. (in Jpn)
  • Yamamoto & Kanazawa (2006) Decrease of the giant bagworm moth, Eumeta variegata (Snellen) around Osaka of Japan. The Nature and Insects. 41(2), 12-14 (in Jpn)
  • etc.
Parasitism on this species by several parasitic wasps (Bracymeria lasus and others) was observed.