North-america-invasion
Guides
Musca autumnalis
face fly, autumn housefly
Musca autumnalis, commonly known as the face fly or autumn housefly, is a nonbiting muscid fly native to the Palearctic region that was introduced to North America in the 1940s–1950s. Adults are obligate pests of cattle and horses, feeding on ocular and nasal secretions, tears, saliva, and blood from wounds. The species exhibits pronounced seasonal population dynamics, with peak abundance in late summer and autumn, and undergoes facultative diapause in adults triggered by short photoperiod and cool temperatures. Larval development occurs exclusively in fresh cattle dung, where larvae feed on microbial flora and fauna.
Myrmica rubra
European fire ant, common red ant
Myrmica rubra is a widespread Palaearctic ant species native to Europe, now invasive in parts of North America and Asia. Workers are reddish-brown with darker heads, 3.5–5.5 mm in length. The species exhibits complex social structure with both macrogynes and microgynes, and colonies are polygyne and polydomous. It serves as a host for several myrmecophilous butterflies and has been documented transmitting viruses through scavenging behavior.
Thambemyia
Thambemyia is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, characterized by its exclusive association with rocky intertidal habitats. The genus is distributed across the Oriental and Neotropical realms, with a single Palearctic species from Japan. Taxonomic relationships with the genus Conchopus remain unresolved, with some authors treating the latter as a synonym while others recognize it as distinct. The genus currently comprises five described species plus a new subgenus established for the Japanese species.