Black fly
Simulium yahense
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Infraorder: Culicomorpha Superfamily: Chironomoidea Family: Simuliidae
Subfamilies
Parasimuliinae Simuliinae Genera Araucnephia Araucnephioides Archicnephia Austrosimulium Baisomyia Cnephia Cnesia Cnesiamima Crozetia Ectemnia Gigantodax Greniera Gydarina Gymnopais Kovalevimyia Levitinia Lutzsimulium Mayacnephia Metacnephia Paracnephia Parasimulium Paraustrosimulium Pedrowygomyia Prosimulium Simuliites Simulimima Simulium Stegopterna Sulcicnephia Tlalocomyia Twinnia

A black fly (sometimes called a buffalo gnat, turkey gnat or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. GNAT is a free-software Compiler for the Ada programming language which forms part of the GNU Compiler Collection. Culicomorpha is a infraorder of Nematocera. It includes Mosquitoes black flies, and several extant and extinct families of insect This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used They are related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. Ceratopogonidae, or biting Midges (including what are called in the United States, no-see-ums, midgies, Sand flies Chironomidae (informally known as chironomids or non-biting Midges) are a family of Nematoceran flies with a global distribution Thaumaleidae, the solitary midges or trickle midges, are a group of Nematoceran flies related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae There are over 1,800 known species of black flies (of which 11 are extinct). The majority of species belong to the immense genus Simulium. A black fly (sometimes called a buffalo Gnat, turkey gnat or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Like mosquitoes, to which they are related, most black flies gain nourishment by sucking the blood of other animals, although the males feed mainly on nectar. Mosquitoes are insects in the family Culicidae. They have a pair of scaled wings a pair of Halteres, a slender body and long legs Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products Nectar is a Sugar -rich liquid produced by plants It is produced either by the Flowers in which it attracts pollinating animals or by extrafloral They are usually small, black or gray, with short legs and antennae. The arthropod leg is a form of jointed Appendage of Arthropods usually used for Walking. Antennae (singular antenna) are paired Appendages connected to the front-most segments of Arthropods In Crustaceans they are They are a common nuisance for humans, and many U.S. states have programs to suppress the black fly population. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government They spread several diseases, including river blindness in Africa (Simulium damnosum and S. Onchocerciasis ( or /ˈɒnkoʊsɝːˈkaɪəsɨs/ also known as river blindness, is the world's second leading infectious cause of Blindness. neavei) and the Americas (Simulium callidum and S. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America metallicum in Central America, also S. ochraceum in Central and South America). South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a

Regional effects of black fly populations

• In the wetter parts of the northern latitudes of North America, including parts of Canada, New England and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, black fly populations swell from Mid-May to July, becoming a nuisance to humans engaging in common outdoor activitites such as boating, camping and backpacking. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that comprise the U Boating, the leisurely activity of traveling by Boat typically refers to the Recreational use of boats whether Power boats sail boats, or Definition Camping describes a range of activities Survivalist campers set off with little more than their boots whereas Recreational vehicle travelers arrive equipped Backpacking (in US tramping, trekking, or bushwalking in other countries combines Hiking and camping in a single
• In Canada, black flies are a scourge to livestock, causing weight loss in cattle and in some cases, death. ^[1]
• The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States, operates the largest single black fly control program in North America. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The program is seen as beneficial to both the quality of life for residents and to the state's tourism industry. [1]
• The Blandford Fly (Simulium posticatum) in England was once a public health problem in the area around Blandford Forum, Dorset, due to its large numbers and the painful lesions caused by its bite. The Blandford Fly ( Simulium posticatum) a species of Black fly, is a biting Insect found locally around Blandford Forum and villages bordering England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast It was eventually controlled by carefully targeted applications of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Bacillus thuringiensis Serovar israelensis ( Bti) is a group of bacteria used as Biological control agents for ^[2]

Ecology

Eggs are laid in running water, and the larvae attach themselves to rocks. In most Birds and Reptiles an egg ( Latin ovum) is the Zygote, resulting from Fertilization of the Ovum. A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example They use tiny hooks at the end of their abdomen to hold on to the substrate, often using silk holdfasts and lines to move or hold their place. They have foldable fans surrounding their mouths. When feeding, the fans expand, catching passing debris (small organic particles, algae and bacteria). Every few seconds, the larva scrapes the fan's catch into its mouth. Black flies depend on lotic habitats to bring food to them. They will pupate under water and then emerge in a bubble of air as flying adults. During this emergence, they are often preyed upon by trout.

Black flies are univoltine, which means that they spend the winter in the larval stage, often under the ice, where they slowly mature. Voltinism is a term used in biology to indicate the number of broods or generations of an organisms in a year

The Canadian Shield is characterized by an abundance of lakes and swift-flowing streams and hence offers optimum conditions for black flies to lay their eggs. The Canadian Shield &mdash also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien (French &mdash is a large geological shield covered by The Canadian Shield is notorious for the abundance of black flies in the summertime.

References

• Black Flies Fact Sheet from Ohio State University
• Extensive Simuliidae (black fly) Web pages at blackfly.org.uk
• Black fly species inventory
• FAQ about black flies in Maine

See also

• Blackfly season (novel), by Giles Blunt
• "The Black Fly Song", a song by Wade Hemsworth inspired by his experiences with them
• http://www.blackflies.info Taxonomy and systematics of Simuliidae
• Use of DNA in forensic entomology