Oestridae
Guides
Cephenemyia jellisoni
nose bot fly
A parasitic bot fly whose larvae develop in the nasal passages and pharyngeal recesses of deer. Adults are active during warm periods and exhibit specific mating aggregations on elevated vegetation. The species shows a covert attacking strategy when larvipositing, remaining undetected by hosts until the moment of larval deposition.
Cephenemyia phobifer
pharyngeal bot of white-tailed deer
Cephenemyia phobifer is a parasitic bot fly (family Oestridae) that develops in the pharyngeal region of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The species exhibits probable larviposition, with females depositing live larvae directly onto or near hosts rather than laying eggs. It has a northeastern Nearctic distribution and completes two generations annually, with winter and summer cycles differing in duration.
Cephenemyia pratti
nose bot fly
Cephenemyia pratti is a species of nose bot fly in the family Oestridae, described by Hunter in 1916. Like other members of the genus Cephenemyia, it is an obligate parasite of cervids (deer family). The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with only six observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Chrysops cincticornis
Ring-clawed Deer Fly
Chrysops cincticornis is a deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Walker in 1848. It is commonly known as the Ring-clawed Deer Fly. The species has been documented in Vermont and other parts of the United States, with 291 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Research on this species has focused on its oviposition behavior and fecundity, with laboratory studies showing females deposit eggs in gelatinous masses on mud substrates near water, averaging 156 eggs per female.
deer-flyTabanidaeDipteramedical-entomologyovipositionfecundityring-clawed-deer-flyVermontUnited-Statesmud-substrategelatinous-egg-massChrysopsinaeChrysopsiniWalker-1848iNaturalistlaboratory-rearingegg-mass156-eggsrange-42-312near-watermud-like-substrateegg-depositionreproductionbehavioral-studymedical-entomology-researchinsect-vectorsbiting-fliestabanid-flieshorse-fliesdeer-fliesChrysopsNorth-AmericaNew-Englandobservation-recordssynonym-status-in-Catalogue-of-Lifeaccepted-status-in-GBIFarthropodinsectflyBrachyceraTabanomorphaHexapodaPterygotaAnimaliaArthropodaInsectacincticornisChrysops-cincticornis-Walker-1848Chrysops-(Chrysops)-cincticornisdeerflyhorseflytabanidbiting-flyvectoroviposition-behaviorfecundity-studyJournal-of-Medical-Entomology198210.1093/jmedent/19.5.597gelatinous-secretionmudwaterlaboratory-conditionsmean-fecundityegg-productionreproductive-biologyentomologyinsect-behaviorinsect-reproductiondipterantrue-flytwo-winged-flynematoceranCyclorrhaphaAschizaSchizophoraAcalyptrataeCalyptrataeOestroideaMuscoideaHippoboscoideaGlossinidaeCalliphoridaeSarcophagidaeMuscidaeFanniidaeAnthomyiidaeScathophagidaeOestridaeTachinidaeSiphonapteraPhthirapteraHemipteraColeopteraLepidopteraHymenopteraNeuropteraMegalopteraRaphidiopteraTrichopteraStrepsipteraMecopteraDipluraProturaCollembolaZygentomaArchaeognathaEphemeropteraOdonataPlecopteraGrylloblattodeaMantophasmatodeaPhasmatodeaOrthopteraDermapteraEmbiopteraZorapteraIsopteraBlattodeaMantodeaPhyllodocidaNotopteraWalker1848speciestaxongelatinoushabitatdistributionGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBIlaboratory-studybehaviorlife-cyclesubstratemud-likemeanrange42-312femaleobservationrecordspecimencollectionmuseumresearchstudyarticleabstractDOIbiologyecologyhorse-flyacceptedsynonymtaxonomyclassificationUS291-observationslaboratory291-iNaturalist-observationsGBIF-distribution-recordsaccepted-species-statussynonym-in-Catalogue-of-Life156-eggs-mean-fecundityrange-42-312-eggs1982-Journal-of-Medical-Entomology-publicationDOI-10.1093/jmedent/19.5.597entomology-researchdipteran-biologyCuterebra abdominalis
rabbit bot fly
Cuterebra abdominalis is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. It is a parasite of lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), with larvae developing subcutaneously in host tissues. Adults are short-lived, lack functional mouthparts, and do not feed. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry, resembling bumble bees in appearance. It is one of approximately 34 recognized North American species in the genus Cuterebra, with seven species specializing on rabbit hosts.
Cuterebra americana
woodrat bot fly
Cuterebra americana, the woodrat bot fly, is a New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. It is a parasitic species whose larvae develop subcutaneously in mammalian hosts. The species has been documented successfully developing in atypical hosts, including the black rat (Rattus rattus) in Florida. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and lack functional mouthparts, living only to reproduce.
Cuterebra arizonae
New World skin bot fly
Cuterebra arizonae is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. It was described by Sabrosky in 1986. Like other members of the genus Cuterebra, it is a parasitic fly whose larvae develop subcutaneously in mammalian hosts. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and lack functional mouthparts.
Cuterebra atrox
Cuterebra atrox is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. Like other members of the genus Cuterebra, it is a parasitic fly whose larvae develop subcutaneously in mammalian hosts. The species was described by Clark in 1848. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and do not feed, lacking functional mouthparts.
Cuterebra austeni
Cuterebra austeni is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. The adult flies are large, bumble bee-sized insects with distinctive black and white coloration. Like other Cuterebra species, adults lack functional mouthparts and live only briefly, fueled entirely by larval fat reserves. The species has been documented exhibiting hilltopping behavior in Arizona, where males gather at elevated sites to locate females.
Cuterebra buccata
rabbit bot fly
Cuterebra buccata is a New World bot fly in the family Oestridae, commonly known as the rabbit bot fly. Adults are large, bumble bee-sized flies that lack functional mouthparts and do not feed. The species is host-specific to lagomorphs, particularly cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus). Larvae develop subcutaneously in warbles, feeding on host fluids rather than tissue. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and have short lifespans focused on reproduction.
bot-flymyiasisparasitelagomorphrabbitOestridaeCuterebrinaebumble-bee-mimicrywarblesubcutaneous-parasitehost-specificnon-feeding-adultpupariumCuterebraSylvilaguscottontail-rabbitNew-WorldNorth-AmericaVirginiaMissouriVermontspring-emergencelate-summer-prevalencerarely-encounteredshort-lived-adultevolutionary-coevolutionbenign-parasitismsoil-pupationlarval-migrationsubcutaneous-developmentDipteraInsectaentomologymedical-entomologyveterinary-entomologywildlife-diseaseparasitologyhost-parasite-interactioncuterebridrabbit-parasitelagomorph-parasitebotwarble-flygadflyOestrus-buccataFabricius-1775Cuterebra-buccata-(Fabricius,-1775)Cuterebra cochisei
Cuterebra cochisei is a species of New World skin bot fly described by Sabrosky in 1986. As a member of the genus Cuterebra, it is an obligate parasite of mammals with larvae that develop subcutaneously in host tissue. The species is one of 34 recognized North American Cuterebra species. Very little specific information has been published about this particular species.
Cuterebra emasculator
Squirrel Bot Fly
Cuterebra emasculator is a New World bot fly and obligate internal parasite of tree squirrels and chipmunks in eastern North America. First described by Asa Fitch in 1856, its larvae develop subcutaneously in hosts, creating characteristic swellings called warbles. The species name originated from a false belief that larvae consumed host testicles; research has shown this is not the case and parasitism does not reduce host fertility. Adults are rarely encountered, lack functional mouthparts, and live only a few days focused solely on reproduction.
Cuterebra fontinella
mouse bot fly
Cuterebra fontinella, commonly known as the mouse bot fly, is a New World oestrid fly that parasitizes small mammals, particularly the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Adults are short-lived, non-feeding, and resemble bumble bees in appearance. Females lay eggs on vegetation near host burrows; larvae enter through natural orifices or wounds, migrate internally, and develop subcutaneous warbles typically located in the inguinal region. The species exhibits bimodal seasonal activity with summer and autumn population peaks. Though primarily a rodent parasite, rare human cases of myiasis have been documented.
Cuterebra fontinella fontinella
mouse bot fly, white-footed mouse bot fly
Cuterebra fontinella fontinella is a subspecies of New World bot fly (family Oestridae) that parasitizes small mammals, primarily white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). The adult flies are large, bumble bee-sized, and lack functional mouthparts, living only briefly to reproduce. Females lay eggs near host burrow entrances; larvae hatch in response to host body heat, enter through orifices or wounds, and develop subcutaneously for approximately one month before exiting to pupate in soil. Despite forming conspicuous warbles that can reach 5% of host body weight, infections appear to have minimal negative impact on host survival and may even correlate with increased longevity in some populations.
Cuterebra lepusculi
cottontail rabbit botfly
Cuterebra lepusculi is a New World skin bot fly (family Oestridae) that parasitizes cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.). Adults are short-lived, lack functional mouthparts, and do not feed. Females deposit eggs near rabbit burrow entrances; larvae hatch upon detecting host body heat, enter through natural orifices or wounds, and develop in subcutaneous warbles for approximately one month before exiting to pupate in soil.
Cuterebra tenebriformis
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.
Hypoderma
Warble Flies, Heel Flies, Bomb Flies, Gadflies
Hypoderma is a genus of large parasitic flies in the family Oestridae, commonly known as warble flies. Adults are non-feeding and live only to reproduce. Females deposit eggs on the legs and flanks of cattle and other ungulates; first-instar larvae penetrate the skin and migrate through the host's body, typically to the gullet or spinal canal, before settling in subcutaneous tissues of the back to develop. The larvae create characteristic swellings (warbles) visible on the host's hide. Two economically important species are H. bovis (ox warble fly) and H. lineatum (cattle warble fly), which cause significant damage to cattle hides and reduce animal welfare.
Hypoderma lineatum
Common Cattle Grub, Ox Warble Fly
Hypoderma lineatum is a parasitic warble fly in the family Oestridae, commonly known as the common cattle grub. Adults emerge from puparia in early May, approximately one month before the related H. bovis. Females oviposit on cattle during sunny, calm weather from late May through early September, showing a preference for open areas and avoiding water and shade. First-instar larvae penetrate the host's skin and migrate to the gullet, where they develop for an average of 42.5 days before moving to subcutaneous tissues of the back. The species causes significant economic damage to cattle through hide degradation, reduced milk yield, and irritation during adult oviposition activity. Unlike H. bovis, H. lineatum does not terrify cattle during oviposition; animals typically show little uneasiness.
Oestrinae
Nose Bot Flies
Oestrinae is a subfamily of bot flies (Oestridae) comprising 9 genera and 34 species of obligate mammalian parasites. Larvae develop within the nasal, pharyngeal, and frontal cavities of deer, sheep, and related ungulates, feeding on cellular debris and mucosal secretions. Adult females are larviparous, depositing live larvae directly into host nostrils. The subfamily includes economically significant pests of livestock and game animals.
Oestrus ovis
sheep bot fly, sheep nostril fly
Oestrus ovis is an obligate parasitic fly (Diptera: Oestridae) that develops exclusively within the nasal and sinus cavities of sheep and related ungulates. Females are larviparous, depositing live first-instar larvae directly into host nostrils during flight. Larvae develop through three instars within the host before exiting to pupate in soil. The species causes oestrosis, a condition marked by nasal discharge, respiratory distress, and reduced productivity in livestock. Human infestations, though uncommon, have been documented worldwide.