Strange fly

[timsbugs]

From Hudson Bay Saskatchewan

[timsbugs]

[mikeh]

Looks kind of like cuterebra to me.

[boghaunter1]

Hi Tim,

Looks like a Bot Fly that occurs around cattle pastures... they mimic bumble bees & adults lay eggs on the backs of cattle that quickly hatch & burrow in under the skin where they grow to form large, painful swellings & eventually drop off & adults eventually emerge again. They are relatively uncommon... I have a couple of specimens in my collection... I have a large Community Pasture only a mile west of my farm yd.

John K.

[timsbugs]

Thanks John,,,,I think.
I instantly just got itchy all over!
I will be looking at all flies a little differently now.

Tim

[bichos]

[leptraps]

My Father-in-Law was a farmer in South Central Kentucky (Whitley County). During a visit (1980ish) he was milking cows when a large "Bott" Fly appeared on the side of the cow and remained while expanding it's wings. I remember collecting in and sticking a pin in it. I have no memory of what I did with it. I probably gave it to Dr. Covell when he was at the University of Louisville.

I gave my Father-in-Law several small vials to collect specimens. During my next visit he gave 10+ specimens of Bott Flies he collect off his milk cow's. I have no idea what I did with them.

[trehopr1]

I have an unusual and yet special liking for Oestridae. These very unusual and rarely encountered flies are mighty special in their own right. Very few specimens are ever seen in private collections. I knew a medical doctor who had a specialized interest in Diptera his whole life. Had quite a collection but, of the sum total after 35+ years of collecting he had all of 3 Oestrids in his collection.

I have collected 2 specimens whilst in the field myself. Have acquired another 3 through purchases / trades with other collectors.

One of my two personal captures was a "hoot" of a experiance to remember...
I was working one summer / fall season (2004) as a mosquito abatement technician for a nearby large town. We spent our days looking high and low for potential mosquito breeding areas. Calls would come in from concerned residents about places they thought should be investigated. Our 2 man teams would look into it and see if traps would be set out or if the call was inconsequential.

One afternoon, as we skirted the periphery of a home to investigate a report of standing water in a neighbors yard my teammate said " Wow, look at that big bumblebee over there by those flowers". I stopped dead in my tracks and looked over and noticed right away it didn't "behave" like any bumblebee I'd seen. It "lighted" on some wood chips seemingly basking itself in a single ray of sunlight shining through the surrounding bushes. Then it buzzed around the site again to wind up again basking itself in the same spot. Armed with only my mosquito dipper in hand I approached cautiously...

Low and behold, I had a large black / yellow Cutebra before me sitting on the wood chips. I said to my coworker "run back to the truck and get my bottle". I always carried along a killing bottle for our field jaunts... With my heart at this point resting in my throat I slowly flipped over my mosquito dipper and just hoped I would be fast and accurate enough to clap my dipper over the fly and not miss ! I proceeded and "Shazam" I made the capture; but for how long? I cupped my hands around the rim just hoping it would not "slip out and under" the shallow dipper cup.

My coworker showed up minutes later with another jar he found in the truck for water samples and, with a little deft handling on my part I secured my capture in the jar. I was to say the least "ecstatic" and over the moon with this capture. He said "damn, that must be one hell of a fly" ! I said, I have not seen one of these flies since I was a freshman in high school nearly 30 years ago.

Without doubt, this one capture stands out as one of the wildest and unlikely captures I've ever made.

[leptraps]

Hypoderma: I believe these are Bottflies. My only chance encounter was at the Miami Metro Dade Zoo. We stopped to watch the Handlers give a Rhinoceros a wash down with a hose. I saw a large fly land on the side of the Rhino. The handler saw the fly and gave it a swatt with a wet rag. It took a while for me to get some one's attention. I eventually was handed a small Dixie Cup with a slightly smashed Fly. It was not quite as big as my thumb. I walked out to my car and popped it into a killing jar.

Have no idea what I did with it.

This is my last fly tale. While on a flight from California to Cincinnati, a large "Horse Fly" began buzzing around the Cabin. The hostess and some passengers attempted to swat it. It buzzed around until it settled on the ceiling at which time I popped a paper cup over it. The hostess ask me if I wanted the Fly. Naturally I wanted the Fly. The hostesd got a lid for the cup. I once secure in the cup, the hostess put it in the small freeze compartment of the fridge.

The plane landed and pulled into the gate. As I got out of seat, the hostess brought me the cup with the fly. She ask me if I wanted the fly. Of course I wanted the Fly. I have no idea what I did with the fly. I know I stuck a pin it him and made a label. I am sure it is in my collection of odds and ends.