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Simuliidae

Pronunciation:  [Sigh·mew·LEE·i⋅dae]

Common Name:  Black Flies;  Buffalo Gnats

Description:  Black flies are small, humpbacked flies with short, multi-segmented antennae.  The females are vicious biters that suck blood.   Larvae are aquatic filter-feeders.   They have a disc-like anal sucker for attaching themselves to underwater substrates in rivers and streams.

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Spot ID Key Characters:

  1. Short, multi-segmented antennae
  2. Thorax humpbacked in profile
  3. Gray or black body color
  4. Wing veins heaviest and thickest near the anterior margin

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Order:  Diptera