Figure 1-20. Adult black fly.
e. Punkies, Culicoides. These flies are sometimes referred to as "no-see-ums"
because of their smaII size. They are 1 to 4 mm long and occur in the tropics as well as
in temperate zones. They are vicious biters. They mercilessly and persistently attack in
large numbers. Sensitized persons have severe reactions and often must be
hospitalized for treatment. These extremely small flies can pass through standard
window screens and mosquito netting. The wings often have patterns of dark and Iight
areas, which give the fly a speckled appearance. The first two veins are very heavy,
whiIe the others are somewhat indistinct. The mouthparts of female punkies are formed
for piercing and sucking. The female lays as many as 100 eggs on damp sand or soiI.
These hatch in several days, and larval development takes place in water, wet marshy
soiI, decaying vegetation, or animal feces. The pupa, from which the adult emerges in
several days, is formed following the fourth larval molt. The life cycle is illustrated in
figure 1-21.
Figure 1-21. Life stages of Culicoides. (One, egg; two, larva; three, pupa; four, adult).
MD0170
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