Reindeer Nose Bot Fly vs Saltmarsh Mosquito

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Reindeer Nose Bot Fly Saltmarsh Mosquito
Scientific Name Cephenemyia trompe Aedes sollicitans
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Oestridae Culicidae
Size 14-18 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Heathland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Omnivores Blood Feeders
Regions Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Reindeer Nose Bot Fly

A large, hairy, bee-like fly that squirts live larvae into the nostrils of reindeer. The larvae develop in the nasal passages and throat of the host. Adults resemble bumblebees and do not feed.

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Did You Know?

This fly is one of the fastest insects in the world for its size, capable of pursuing running reindeer at speeds exceeding 40 kilometers per hour.

Saltmarsh Mosquito

A golden-brown mosquito that breeds in enormous numbers in coastal salt marshes. It is a strong flier capable of traveling over 60 km from breeding sites.

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Did You Know?

Swarms can be so dense near salt marshes that they have driven livestock to exhaustion.