Glossinidae

Also known as:

TseTse flies

Glossinidae (Image sourced from Abb. aus Meyers Lexikon, Wikimedia Commons)

• Only found in Africa

Recognition

• 6-13mm long

• Prominent forward pointing proboscis

• Green thorax

• Yellow/brown abdomen

• Specific wing venation
  • Closed cell 'butchers cleaver' shape

Life cycle

• Single larvae laid in shrubs

• Larvae wriggles into the soil to pupate

• Adult fly emerges 1 month later

• Life cycle take 2 months to complete

Pathogenesis

• Painful, irritating bites
  • Both males and females suck blood

• Transmit trypanosomes
  • Cause 'nagana' (wasting) disease in cattle and 'sleeping sickness' in humans

Control

• Scrub clearance to remove resting sites

• Ground and aerial spraying with insecticides

• Localised eradication using baited traps
  • Dark coloured cloth
  • Synthetic cattle urine
  • Insecticide

• Sterile male insect release