Simuliidae

• Black flies can occur in enormous numbers.

• Immature stages develop in oxygenated water sources, therefore
adults are usually associated with slow moving streams, creeks, or
rivers where the immature stages develop
• small insects that measure 1 to 5 mm in length, and possess a shiny
thorax that ranges in color from black to various shades of gray or
yellow.
• 90% of the flies and Onchocerca disease occurs in Africa
 • Human stages:
Life cycle of simulium • (1) During a blood meal, an infected blackfly
introduces third-stage filarial larvae onto the skin
of the human host, where they penetrate into the
bite wound.
• (2) In subcutaneous tissues, the larvae develop
into adult filariae within 6-12 months.
• (3) These adult worms commonly reside in
nodules in subcutaneous connective tissues.
Adults can live in the nodules for approximately
14 years. Usually, 2-3 female worms are found
coiled up in the nodules, while male worms
migrate in subcutaneous tissues, traveling through
the body to locate female worms to mate with in
other nodules. In the subcutaneous nodules, the
female worms are capable of producing
microfilariae for approximately 9 years. The
female can produce between 700-1900 eggs a day
[3].
• (4) Microfilariae are occasionally found in
peripheral blood, urine, and sputum but are
typically found in the skin and in the lymphatics of
connective tissues [4].
• https://web.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2004/On
chocerciasis/lifecycle.htm
Life cycle of • Blackfly stages:
simulium • (5) A blackfly ingests the microfilariae during a
blood meal. Fly saliva acts as a chemoattractant
for the microfilariae in the surrounding
subcutaneous tissues [3].
• (6) After ingestion, the microfilariae migrate from
the blackfly's midgut through the hemocoel to the
thoracic (flight) muscles of the fly.
• (7) There, the microfilariae develop into
first-stage (L1) larvae after 28 hours. After 96
hours, the L1 larvae develop into second-stage
(L2) larvae.
• (8) By day 6-10, the second moulting process
occurs, and the L2 larvae develop into third-stage
(L3) infective larvae [5].
• (9) The L3 infective larvae migrate to the blackfly's
proboscis and can infect another human when the
fly takes its next blood meal, thus bringing us back
to step one (1) of the life cycle.
• https://web.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2004/Onchoc
erciasis/lifecycle.htm
 Diseases transmitted by Simulium

•Onchocerciasis is an eye and skin disease caused by a

worm (filaria) known scientifically as Onchocerca
volvulus (Africa)
•detectable in the skin 10 to 20 months after the
initial infection.
•allergic systemic reaction “black fly fever”- human
•injury from black fly bites can threaten the lives of
livestock
• Animals attacked:
• Cattle, poultry, swine, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, deer
• Veterinary impact:
• Black flies are transmitters of pathogens (nematodes, protozoans and
viruses) that can cause disease.
• Black fly females have very painful bites and can exhibit nuisance swarms.
• Large numbers of black flies can cause bird and livestock death as well as
cause a stamped, trampling of young, structure crashing and tumbling.
• Suffocation has been reported and blamed for animal deaths by blocking
respiratory passages.
• Excess blood loss can be detrimental to the host’s health. Most deaths are
caused by toxemia and shock to the actual bites.
 Control
• To get the best control of a black fly population, it is best to aim for the
larvae stage.
• The larvae are easier to target due to their sometimes specific habitats and
their concentrated developing habits.
• Treating for the adults (with repellents and pour-on) will get small results
but is very costly and not used as often as treating the water source for
larvae.
• Typically Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis is used to treat waterways
worldwide for the larvae.
• The most effect repellents are those containing DEET.
• http://livestockvetento.tamu.edu/insectspests/black-fly-simuliidae/
 Control
•When large populations threaten livestock a few tactics can
be used to limit their discomfort and the number of attacks,
• such as; smoldering fires with dense smoke,
•repellents with permethrin or ivermectin ear tags,
• pour-on and spray formulations,
•white petroleum jelly inside the ears of horse will reduce
bites,
• as well as providing shelters.