VPA 221: Veterinary Entomology and Acarology (1+1)

HABITS - HORSE FLY

• Flies are very fond of sunlight, usually seen in morning hours
• Flies have a habit of skimming over water and occasionally dipping their bodies into it
• The entire life cycle can take even 6 months to complete, so usually 2 broods of flies are produced every year
• Females suck blood around the naval are, neck, withers, abdominal region also the back and hindlegs
• Vicious biters and bite intermittently.They bite indiscriminately and cannot be easily disturbed while feeding and hence the common name blind fly
• Feed during the hottest parts of the day
• Flies prefer large animals like horses, cattle but attack man when animals are not available