The Flies That Bite Your Eyes
Imagine having a peaceful summer day. It may be a bit warm, but that’s normal for where you live. You see a fly buzzing towards you, though it must be going for your food. You ignore it for a while. Then you hear it flying right near your face. Suddenly, it’s right on you and bites you in the eye. A few hours later, your eye starts swelling. But flies don’t bite, right?
Wrong. Yes, some types of flies do bite with mouthparts designed to cut through skin and suck blood. Summer sees an increase of the insects with the humid weather, so it’s important to be informed about them in case one bites you.
There are many types of biting flies, though only two are going to be mentioned in this article. One type of biting flies are horse flies. Horse flies need blood to be able to mate and lay their eggs. According to NC State News, those eggs then hatch into maggots that eat things such as minnows or frogs. Another type of biting flies are deer flies. Deer fly bites are said to be very painful and are targeted towards humans and cattle. The Department of Entomology states that when they bite, they cut through skin and suck on the blood that comes out of it.
When you get bit, the itch is similar to mosquito bite with a bump forming and an itch occurring. However, they are different from mosquito bites in the manner of pain. The bites begin to hurt immediately after they occur, unlike mosquito bites that we usually don’t feel until moments after the insect is already gone. Fortunately, they fade away eventually and you shouldn’t need anything except medicine or lotion for these pesky bites. To conclude, biting flies are much like mosquitos and we shouldn’t be too worried about them, but we should always try to be informed. Another insect that makes you itch may sound like a nuisance. Nevertheless, these flies are still pollinators that make those beautiful spring flowers and juicy fruits. If a fly ever flies into your face, you should probably still kill it, however, you shouldn’t panic because the bites aren’t too harmful…unless you’re allergic.
