Genus Cephenemyia - Deer Bot Flies

Deer Nose Bots

Cephen="kephen" in Greek, which means "drone bee" and myia means "fly"

World: 13 species; 5 species in North America

Adults are bumblebee mimics; like other members in the family, they do not have functional/visible mouthparts as they do not feed as adults.

Throughout most of North America excluding the Great Plains and parts of the southeastern US

Larvae are endoparasitic in deer, moose, and elk, particularly in the throat (retropharyngeal) pouches near the base of the tongue; adults are free-living

Larvae are the only feeding stages; adults do not feed.

Eggs hatch inside the female fly and the newly emerged larvae are deposited in the nostrils of a suitable host. These larvae quickly migrate through the nasal passages into the nasopharyngeal (throat) region, preferably in the throat (retropharyngeal) pouches (causing nasopharyngeal myiasis in the host), where they settle and develop. After development is complete, the mature larvae are expelled from the host and pupate in the soil. Adults emerge after 2-3 weeks; since they do not feed, their life span is short and mating quickly ensues to complete the life cycle. 2 generations have been reported from the north, with the duration of each life cycle varying with the season. The winter life cycle can take up to 6 months, while the summer life cycle, half of that time.

Usually the larvae do not cause considerable harm to the host other than mild irritation. However in the case of heavy infestations, results can be fatal for the host (death by suffocation), and consequently for the larvae (which, since are true parasites, cannot survive without a living host). Some members of the genus (e.g. C. trompe) are pests in reindeer farms in Europe, causing significant mortality and economic loss.

Adults are among the fastest flying insects, with speeds between 25 to 50 miles/hr (40-80 km/hr) been documented. Earlier records of 800 miles/hr (!) have been proven false and highly exaggerated (See article from TIME magazine for an interesting discussion of how this record was refuted).

Michigan Department of Natural Resources- article on Deer Nose Bots

Journal article from Journal of Wildlife Diseases

Wikipedia

Article from UNBC

Article from TIME magazine discussing the debunking of the adult botfly's previously recorded flight speed of 800 miles/hr.