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FLY - 38 reference results

wheat fly, name for several insects harmful to wheat, e.g., the Hessian fly, the wheat gallfly, the wheat midge, and others.

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warble fly

warble fly: see botfly.

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tsetse fly

tsetse fly, name for any of several bloodsucking African flies of the genus Glossina, and in the same family as the housefly. The larva of the tsetse fly develops inside the body of the mother until it is ready to pupate in the soil. A number of the 21 species can transmit to humans the trypanosomes that cause the Gambian and Rhodesian forms of African sleeping sickness (see trypanosomiasis; encephalitis). The tsetse fly also carries the trypanosomes that cause nagana and other diseases of wild and domestic animals. Clearing the brush that the flies inhabit helps to get rid of them; DDT has also been used to exterminate them. Tsetse flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Muscidae. See insect.

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tachinid fly

tachinid fly, common name for any of the flies of the family Tachinidae, which parasitize caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. Tachinid flies are generally small (about the size of houseflies), often bristly, and sometimes brilliantly colored. There are nearly 1300 North American species. The female typically lays her white oval eggs on the skin of the host insect, though the eggs of some species are inserted in the host's body, and the eggs of others are left in the host's environment, as for example on leaves, where the host will ingest them. The larvae feed on the host tissues, causing death. Tachinid flies are widely used as a means of biological control of insect pests. Some tachinid flies are themselves parasitized by certain wasps (see ichneumon fly). Tachinid flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Tachinidae.

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shad fly

shad fly: see mayfly.

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sand fly

sand fly: see midge.

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salmon fly

salmon fly: see mayfly.

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ichneumon fly

ichneumon fly, common name for a family of insects, related to the wasps, whose larvae are parasitic on many other insects. Over 3,000 species of ichneumon flies, also known as ichneumon wasps, are found throughout the United States except in the Southwest. The female has an extremely long ovipositor capable of piercing through several inches of insect-infested tree trunk to the caterpillars and other larvae within. When the eggs hatch, the ichneumon larvae feed on the body of the host. One species parasitizes the aquatic larva of the caddisfly, and the female must dive to the underwater burrow of the host to deposit her eggs. Ichneumon flies are harmless to humans and trees, and in fact help to keep many insect pests under control. Other wasps, such as the braconid wasps, are also larval parasites of insect hosts. Ichneumon flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, family Ichneumonidae.

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harvest fly

harvest fly: see cicada.

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greenbottle fly

greenbottle fly: see blowfly.

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gall fly

gall fly: see fruit fly.

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fruit fly

fruit fly, common name for any of the flies of the families Tephritidae and Drosophilidae. All fruit flies are very small insects that lay their eggs in various plant tissues. The Tephritidae contains about 1,200 species characterized by wide heads, black or steely green or blue bodies, iridescent greenish eyes, and wings that are usually mottled brown or black. The eggs of most species are laid directly in the pulp of the fruit on which the larvae feed; in North America, blueberries, cherries, and apples are much damaged by these insects. In warm regions, the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, was a serious pest of citrus fruits; it has now been eradicated from the S United States. Some species, e.g., the goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis, which deposits its eggs in species of goldenrod, lay their eggs in plants of no economic importance. The Drosophilidae, or pomace flies, are yellowish and in the wild are largely found around decaying vegetation. The larvae living in fruit actually feed on the yeasts growing in the fruit. Drosophila melanogaster, also called vinegar fly, is a much used laboratory insect; its 10-day life cycle and large chromosomes, particularly those of the salivary glands of the larva, have made it invaluable in the study of genetics. Fruit flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, families Tephritidae and Drosophilidae.

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fly

fly, name commonly used for any of a variety of winged insects, but properly restricted to members of the order Diptera, the true flies, which includes the housefly, gnat, midge, mosquito, and tsetse fly. All have sucking or piercing-and-sucking mouthparts and, except for a few wingless species, bear one pair of wings. The hind wings are reduced to knobbed balancing organs called halteres. All flies undergo complete metamorphosis, i.e., a four-stage development. The larvae, which occupy a wide variety of ecological niches, typically require a moist environment such as rotting flesh, decaying fruit, or the internal organs of other animals (see blowfly; botfly; fruit fly; tachinid fly). Adults often feed on nectar and plant sap, but some, such as the female horsefly and female mosquito, feed on blood; the adults of some species do not feed at all. A few species are found worldwide, often dispersed by humans; more than 16,000 species are found in North America. Many flies are harmful either as carriers of disease or as destroyers of crops. Some parasitize harmful insects. Some, such as the fruit fly, are important in laboratory studies. Flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera.

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eye fly

eye fly, common name for a group of small flies of the family Chloropidae. Eye flies are common in parts of California and in the S United States. They inhabit grasslands and meadows and breed mainly on decaying matter and excrement. Eye flies are attracted to animal secretions such as are found in the eyes, mouth, and open wounds. Some are thought to carry diseases such as conjunctivitis; West Indian species may transmit yaws, a disease caused by a spirochete. Eye flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Chloropidae.

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crane fly

crane fly, true fly resembling a mosquito, often called daddy longlegs because of its six long, delicate legs. (The harvestman, also called daddy longlegs, belongs to an unrelated order.) Most species of crane flies have a single pair of wings and slender bodies. They feed upon plant substances and frequent damp places in pastures and meadows. Crane flies belong to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Tipulidae.

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caddis fly

caddis fly, any of various insects of the order Trichoptera, with four hairy wings usually held back rooflike over the abdomen, long antennae, and chewing mouthparts. The aquatic larvae, or caddis worms, which somewhat resemble caterpillars, are food for many freshwater fishes; they are called creepers when used as bait. The larvae build and inhabit underwater cases or nets made from a silken threadlike material they produce, or from materials such as twigs, sand, and leaves. Most larvae feed on plants and debris caught in the cases; among the net-building species some are predacious. Many seal their cases, and spin cocoons and pupate within. Caddis flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Trichoptera.

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bluebottle fly

bluebottle fly: see blowfly.

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black fly

black fly, name for any of the flies of the family Simuliidae. The black fly is about 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) long and has large eyes, short legs, a stout, humped back, broad gauzy wings, and piercing-sucking mouthparts. The female inflicts a painful bite, sucking the blood of birds and mammals, including humans. Livestock and other large mammals may be bitten to death by swarms of black flies; the black fly problem of some subarctic regions is so severe as to make human settlement impossible. Some tropical African and American species carry the larvae of roundworms that in human hosts cause swellings of the skin and eyes and sometimes blindness. The eggs of black flies are commonly laid in masses on wet rocks, logs, and plants; the larvae live in fast flowing water, clinging to rocks by means of anal sucking disks and straining out organic matter by fanlike head organs. Pupation occurs underwater; the pupa accumulates a bubble of air in its case, enabling it to rise to the surface and emerge when mature. The Adirondack black fly, Simulium hirtipes, the white stockinged black fly, S. venustum, the buffalo gnat, S. pecuarum, and the turkey gnat, S. meridionale, are common species. Black flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Simuliidae. See insect.

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bee fly

bee fly, name for the small- to medium-sized flies of the family Bombyliidae, many of which resemble bees in appearance and behavior. This mimicry provides bee flies with some measure of protection against predators that have learned to avoid the sting of true bees. A bee fly has a stout, hairy body and long proboscis. In many species the body and wings are strikingly marked in yellow and brown. Most are very swift fliers and buzz loudly like a bee if caught in a net. They seek heat and are often found flying close to the ground in dry, sandy regions. The adults feed on nectar and hover above flowers like bees. The larvae feed on larvae or pupae of other insects; they are beneficial as parasites of harmful species. Beelike flies are also found in other families. The syrphid flies (family Syrphidae), also called hover flies and flower flies, are a large, cosmopolitan group of beelike and wasplike flies. Many syrphid flies bear a very close resemblance to a particular bee or wasp species. Many of the robber flies (family Asilidae) resemble bumblebees. All of these are true flies; they are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera.

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Spanish fly

Spanish fly: see blister beetle.

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Mediterranean fruit fly

Mediterranean fruit fly: see fruit fly.

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Hessian fly

Hessian fly, European gall gnat, Phytophaga destructor, so named because it was first observed in America shortly after the Hessian troops landed on Long Island in the American Revolution. It is one of the most destructive pests of wheat, barley, and rye. There are usually two generations a year but may be up to five. The adults, 1/10 in. (0.25 cm) long, live only a few days. They lay their eggs on plants, usually where the stems are covered by leaves; the larvae feed on the sap and weaken the plants so that they cannot bear grain. In its winter pupa stage the insect looks like and is called a flaxseed. Some control is achieved by planting winter wheat late, after the adult females have laid their eggs. The Hessian fly is classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera, family Cecidomyiidae.

See bulletins of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

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Fly

Fly, largest river of the island of New Guinea, c.650 mi (1,050 km) long, rising in the Star Mts. and flowing generally SE through Papua New Guinea to the Gulf of Papua. The Fly is navigable for steamers c.500 mi (800 km) upstream.

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warble fly

Any of several dipteran species (botfly family Oestridae or the family Hypodermatidae), widespread in Europe and North America. The warble flies Hypoderma lineatum and H. bovis, also called cattle grubs or heel flies, are large, heavy, and beelike. They deposit their eggs on the legs of cattle. The larvae penetrate the skin, migrate through the body, and produce a lump, or warble, on the animal's back. Mature grubs emerge and drop to the ground to pupate. Warbles contain breathing holes, which reduce the hide's commercial value. One species (Oedemagena tarandi) is a reindeer pest that also causes economic losses.

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tsetse fly

Any of about 21 species (genus Glossina, family Muscidae) of African bloodsucking dipterans that are robust, sparsely bristled, and usually larger than a housefly. They have stiff, piercing mouthparts. Only two species commonly transmit the protozoan parasites (trypanosomes) that cause human sleeping sickness: G. palpalis, found primarily in dense streamside vegetation, and G. morsitans, found in more open woodlands. The female requires a sufficient blood meal to produce viable larvae, but both sexes suck blood almost daily.

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dipteran

Any member of the more than 85,000 species in the insect order Diptera (the two-winged, or “true,” flies), characterized by the use of only one pair of wings for flight and the reduction of the second pair of wings to knobs used for balance. Dipterans live in all habitats worldwide, including the subarctic and high mountains. They range in size from about 0.05 in. (1 mm) long (midges) to 3 in. (8 cm) long (robber flies). Dipteran larvae break down and redistribute organic materials, and both adults and larvae are a significant link in numerous food chains. Many species are annoying bloodsuckers, and several (e.g., housefly, mosquito, sand fly, tsetse fly) are vectors of disease. Other species cause great damage to agricultural crops. Seealso blowfly, crane fly, fruit fly, gnat, horsefly, leaf miner.

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sand fly

Any of several species in the dipteran family Phlebotomidae (sometimes considered part of the family Psychodidae) with aquatic larvae that live in the intertidal zone of coastal beaches, in mud, or in wet organic debris. The genus Phlebotomus transmits the pappataci fever virus, and in parts of South America, Africa, and Asia it carries the protozoan parasites that cause kala azar, Oriental sore, espundia, and bartonellosis. The name is also used for species of the blackfly and biting midge families.

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robber fly

or assassin fly

Robber fly (Asilidae)

Any of about 4,000 species of predatory dipterans in the family Asilidae, found worldwide. Robber flies are the largest of all dipterans; some species are 3 in. (8 cm) long. Most have a dull-coloured, stout body resembling that of a bumblebee and a moustache of bristles between the large-faceted eyes. They use their long legs to capture insects in flight and hold them while eating; a fluid injected into the victim breaks down muscle tissue. A few species are serious pests of apiaries.

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horsefly

Any member of the dipteran genus Tabanus or, more generally, of the family Tabanidae. These stout flies range from as small as a housefly to as large as a bumblebee. Sometimes called greenheaded monsters, horseflies have metallic or iridescent eyes. Adults are fast, strong fliers usually found around streams, marshes, and wooded areas. They may carry animal diseases, including anthrax, tularemia, and trypanosomiasis. The bites of the bloodsucking females can be painful, and a swarm may suck more than 3 oz (about 90 ml) of blood a day from an animal. Males feed on nectar, honeydew, and plant sap. Horseflies of the genus Chrysops, usually called deerflies, are smaller and have dark markings on the wings.

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fruit fly

Fruit fly (Trypetidae)

Any dipteran species of two families: large fruit flies (Trypetidae) and small fruit flies, or vinegar flies (family Drosophilidae; see drosophila). The larvae feed on fruit or other vegetation. The adults' wings are banded or spotted with brown. Many species attack cultivated fruits, sometimes causing enough damage to create significant economic loss. Some species are leaf miners; others burrow in plant stems. Well-known fruit-fly pests include the Mediterranean fruit fly and the apple maggot of the U.S., the Mexican and Oriental fruit flies, and the olive fruit fly of the Mediterranean region.

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fly

In general, almost any small flying insect. In entomology, the term refers specifically to the approximately 120,000 species of two-winged, or “true,” flies (dipterans). Other insects called flies have wing structures that differ from that of dipterans.

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crane fly

Harmless, slow-flying dipteran (family Tipulidae) usually found around water or abundant vegetation. It ranges in size from tiny to slightly over 1 in. (2.5 cm) long. Larvae of the range crane fly (Tipula simplex) are called leatherjackets because of their tough brown skin. In northern latitudes a wingless crane-fly species is found on snow. The crane fly is also called daddy longlegs in English-speaking countries other than the U.S. (in the U.S., daddy longlegs refers to an arachnid).

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caddis fly

Any member of about 7,000 species of mothlike aquatic insects (order Trichoptera) found worldwide, usually in freshwater habitats but sometimes in brackish and tidal waters. Generally dull brownish, caddis flies have long antennae and hairy wings that fold rooflike over the abdomen. They feed primarily on plant juices and flower nectar, though a few are predaceous. Many caddis-fly larvae construct a portable case from grains of sand, bits of shells, and plant debris glued together by a sticky substance they secrete. This case surrounds the larva's abdomen while it matures. Caddis flies are important to freshwater ecosystems because they clean the water by consuming plant and animal debris and serve, as larvae and adults, as an important food for fish, particularly trout.

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botfly

Any member of several dipteran families with beelike adults and larvae that are parasitic on mammals. Some species are serious pests of horses, cattle, deer, sheep, rabbits, and squirrels, and one species (the human botfly) attacks humans. Adults of several species lay many eggs (nits) on the host's body, and the emerging larvae penetrate its skin. The larvae reemerge through the skin, then mature into egg-laying adults. In the New World tropics, the botfly's infestation of cattle has led to loss of beef and hides. Seealso warble fly.

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blowfly

Any member of the dipteran family Calliphoridae, including the screwworm and the bluebottle, greenbottle, and cluster flies. Metallic blue, green, or bronze, and noisy in flight, blowflies resemble the housefly in size and habits. The larvae usually feed on decaying flesh and sometimes infest open wounds. They may help prevent infection by cleaning away dead flesh, but may also destroy healthy tissue. Blowflies were once used to treat gangrene and a human bone disease and were used in World War I to clean soldiers' wounds. Some species seriously hurt or kill livestock by massive infestation or by carrying diseases such as anthrax, dysentery, and jaundice.

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blackfly

Black fly (Simuliidae)

Any member of the insect family Simuliidae, comprising 300 species of small, humpbacked dipterans found worldwide. Usually black or dark gray, the blackfly has short mouthparts adapted for sucking blood. The females bite and are sometimes abundant enough to kill chickens and even cattle. Some species carry worms capable of causing human disease, including river blindness. In subarctic regions blackflies may be so numerous that human habitation is impossible.

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Mediterranean fruit fly

or Med fly

Fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) proven to be particularly destructive to citrus crops, at great economic cost. The Med fly lays up to 500 eggs in citrus fruits (except lemons and sour limes), and the larvae tunnel into the fruit, making it unfit for human consumption. Because of this pest, quarantine laws regulating fruit importation have been enacted worldwide.

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