Floral host plants of Tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Kolhapur and Satara districts, India

Tachinid flies have been studied at Kolhapur and Satara district, India with respect to floral host plants and their sex ratio. Overall, 82 species were collected from 13 floral plants of different ecosystems from Kolhapur and Satara districts. Majority of flora belong to family Asteraceae. Out of which Tecoma castanifolia and Eupatorium odoratum plants showed maximum number of tachinid flies. In Kolhapur district the occurrence of tachinids was more in number than Satara district. Out of total 82 flies, 52 were collected from Kolhapur district. Thelaira nigripes and Exorista larvarum were reported in maximum numbers from both districts. The tachinids were also found good pollinating agents for increasing yield of the crops in Kolhapur and Satara regions of Maharashtra, India.