- Also known as the horn fly
- Resident biting fly
- Spends most of its time on the host along the back, shoulders and sides
- Mainly resides on cattle
- Feed on areas where the skin is thin e.g. dewlap, belly and udder
- Common in southern England, the USA, Europe and Australia
Recognition
- Similar to the stable fly
- Smaller at 4-7mm long
Life cycle
- Eggs laid in fresh cattle dung
- Larvae burrow into dung and pupate
- Life cycle takes 1 week
Pathogenesis
- Production losses
- Annoyance
- Bites can lead to secondary infection by myiasis producing flies and other muscid species
- Disease transmission
- Pathogenic bacteria and viruses via mechanical transmission
- Helminths can be introduced into the host
- E.g. Stephanofiliaria a filarial nemadode found in the skin of cattle overseas
Control
- Resident fly so easier to control than visiting flies as spends more time in contact with the host
- However, insecticide resistance can occur quicker