Dermatobia hominis is known as the human bot fly. This fly causes a lot of excitement to any human that encounters its life cycle. This large fly is rarely captured as an adult but the larval form is encountered regularly by people that travel in its habitat. The fly is 12- 19mm in size with yellow head and dull blackish thorax. The bot flys legs are orage while the wings are brown. The larva has spiky spines to hold it in the host.

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D. hominis is found in Central and Southern America. They inhabit places near water like jungles and coastal areas. Female bot flys capture mosquito and lays her eggs on the belly of the mosquito. They actually hold the wings of the captive while they deposit 15 to 30 eggs. When the mosquito feeds on a host the warm blood signals the eggs to hatch. The larva can enter the skin through the bite or just burrow through the skin. It takes 5 to 60 minutes for the larva to burrow in to the host. The bot larva will live in the skin of the host for up to 8 week, and then it will crawl out of the host and pupate in the soil for about a week.

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As an adult the fly will only live for 2 weeks. The adult does not eat its only job is to mate and lay the eggs for the next generation. It is not harmful to a host to have a bot fly larve grow in them. It does not cause infection; in fact it is thought that it secretes a natural antibiotic. The only problem is it can be uncomfortable. Larvae will migrate out of the skin if the hole is covered. The larva can be removed with forceps, but because of the curved spines this can be difficult. D. hominis is interesting because to its interesting life cycle. I thought that it is different to use a third party animal to reproduce. I also though it was gross to think the larva could grow it your skin.

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Author: Halie B

Published: 06/2008

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Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_bot_fly http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly.html http://insects.suite101.com/article.cfm/dermatobia_hominis_warble_fly

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Photo Credit: http://images.shoutwire.com/pic_full/botfly1d537c897-f523-49de-b495-22ea8f206af3.jpg