Neotoma-cinerea
Guides
Cuterebra tenebrosa
rodent bot fly, pack rat botfly
Cuterebra tenebrosa, commonly known as the rodent bot fly or pack rat botfly, is a New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. The species is a specialized parasite of bushy-tailed wood rats (Neotoma cinerea). Adult males exhibit distinctive territorial aggregation behavior near host habitats, establishing territories over heat-reflecting surfaces and engaging in aerial defense against intruders. The species demonstrates complex life history traits including temperature-dependent pupal diapause that can extend development up to two years.