Reindeer Warble Fly vs Golubatz Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Reindeer Warble Fly Golubatz Fly
Scientific Name Hypoderma tarandi Simulium colombaschense
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Oestridae Simuliidae
Size 13-17 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Heathland Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Blood Feeders
Regions Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia, Arctic Canada, Alaska Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Reindeer Warble Fly

A stout, furry fly that parasitizes reindeer and caribou. Females dart at reindeer to lay eggs on their legs. Larvae burrow through the skin and migrate through the body, creating warble lumps under the back skin.

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Did You Know?

The buzzing of this fly causes reindeer to panic and stampede, and heavy infestations can reduce a reindeer's body weight by up to 25 percent.

Golubatz Fly

A historically devastating European black fly named after the Serbian town of Golubac. Larvae develop in the fast waters of the Danube River system.

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Did You Know?

In 1923, a massive emergence killed over 16,000 cattle, horses, and other livestock along the Danube in a single event.