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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
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National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

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Family Hippoboscidae - Louse Flies

Representative Images

pseudolynchia canariensis - Pseudolynchia canariensis Deer ked - Lipoptena mazamae Unknown Insect - Lipoptena depressa Hippoboscid Fly Lipoptena mazamae Rondani - Lipoptena mazamae louse fly - Ornithomyinae Large Hippoboscidae Louse Fly?  - Lipoptena

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Calyptratae)
Superfamily Hippoboscoidea
Family Hippoboscidae (Louse Flies)

Other Common Names

Louse Flies, Bird Ticks, Tick Flies

Explanation of Names

Hippoboscidae Samouelle 1819

Numbers

3 subfamilies, with 31 spp. in 13 genera in our area and >210 spp. in 21 genera of total(1)(2)
_________________
the only member of the nominate subfamily recorded in NA, Hippobosca longipennis, may not be established(3)

Size

1.5-12 mm(3)

Range

worldwide and across NA

Food

blood of birds/mammals; host records in(4)

Life Cycle

see(3)

Print References

Bequaert J. (1942) A monograph of the Melophaginae, or ked-flies, of sheep, goats, deer and antelopes (Diptera, Hippoboscidae). Entomologica Americana 22: 1-220.
Bequaert J.C. (1957) The Hippoboscidae or louse-flies (Diptera) of mammals and birds. Part II. Taxonomy, evolution and revision of American genera and species. Entomologica Americana 36: 417–611.

Works Cited

1.Manual of Nearctic Diptera Volume 2
Varies for each chapter; edited by J.F. McAlpine, B.V. Petersen, G.E. Shewell, H.J. Teskey, J.R. Vockeroth, D.M. Wood. 1987. Research Branch Agriculture Canada.
2.Checklist of World Hippoboscidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea)
Dick C.W. 2006.
3.Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Gary Mullen, Lance Durden. 2002. Academic Press.
4.A revised Checklist and Concise Host Index of Hippoboscidae (Diptera).
Maa, T.C. 1969. Pacific Insects Monograph 20: 261-299.