Blackfly Larvae

Classification Phylulm Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Diptera Family Simulidae Adult Appearance

• Small black flies

Adult Behaviour

• Occur in great numbers
• Males feed on nectar
• Adult females bite and suck blood from birds and mammals
• Bites can swell and itch

Larvae Appearance

• Resemble small grubs.
• White to black colour
• Head dark coloured
• Segmented body
• One tiny prolegs under the head
• Bottom-end swollen and fatter than the head-end
• Fuzzy appendages on the head-end
• Attachment disk or sucker on the bottom-end

Larvae Behaviour

• Attach to the upper smooth surface of rocks
• Heavily populated rocks appear to have a stubble beard
• Larvae do not move when viewed in the bottom of a sorting tray

Aquatic Habitat

• Flowing water

Reproduction

• Eggs are laid next to flowing water
• Larvae appear in late summer
• Pupate over the winter
• Emerge as adults the next summer

Larvae Feeding Type

• Omnivores
• Filtering collectors

Pollution Tolerance

• Pollution tolerant
• May or may not indicate poor water quality