Black Flies By: Shawnee Mason

What are black flies? They are a member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomprpha, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. There are over 1,800 known species They gain nourishment by feeding on the blood of other animals. They are usually small, black or gray, with short legs, and antennae. They lay their eggs in running water, and the larvae attach themselves to rocks. The breeding success is highly sensitive to water pollution. 0LKEKKK2KKK10KKTK4KAKMKLSMKVKAQTK5KVK7KDK4K LSWQ30.jpg

Where are they found? They are found near livestock and poultry They are commonly found in the woods when you go hiking or fishing They are all around the U.S and Canada

Why people hate black flies They are annoying and buzz around you. They bite and suck your blood. They spread diseases. But what you don’t know there are many good things about them that make our life easier.

Positives for human interactions/ecosystem They are good indicators of clean water. They need clean water for breeding, if you have a lot of black flies that means you have clean running water. They are pollinators. The males dine only on plant nectar and sap. They get this food in part from our earliest spring wildflowers, and they pollinate as they go. They may be responsible for pollinating some of our blueberries. They are a good food source, bats, dragonflies, flycatchers and swallows are a few of the critters that eat them. DQJKVRJKUR3KOQE0L0W000P0H0XQARZQYRMQF R7QDRW0YR0QK0MQ1RIQ00.jpg

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