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Hello, beloved readers!

I have a friend who is a terrible hunting enthusiast. But recently he became a victim himself. While searching for prey, he was attacked by a small fly with a flattened body.

Acting like a mosquito, a flock of such flies bit all of the friend’s calves. Not only that, they also continued to crawl over the body and look for still untouched areas of skin.

The deer bloodsucker, moose fly, or the most common name - moose louse - this is whose prey the hunter became. Whether moose lice are dangerous to humans or not, you will find out in the next article.

What is moose louse

The moose louse is an insect that is not widely known to the population, although many have often encountered it and simply confused it with a tick. In fact, there are a lot of such elk lice, especially in forests, starting in August. They often get into the hair, from where it is very difficult to get them out.

The moose louse has a flat body, thick, tenacious legs, and a proboscis with which they are able to pierce the skin and drink blood.

Elk lice have other names - elk flies or elk ticks, but scientifically they are called "deer bloodsucker". In fact, they are adapted for life on moose; when they get on them, they shed their wings and live for their own pleasure. But elk lice get on people by accident, so they die very quickly.

There have been no cases of any diseases being transmitted by moose louse, so there is no need to worry about them. The only thing is that these insects bite very unpleasantly and even painfully. There may be redness at the site of the moose lice bite, and the bite may be itchy. Therefore, sometimes it is worth using an antiallergic drug that will help relieve itching and redness.

To protect yourself from insect attacks, you need to wear clothes that cover all parts of your body, and put a hat on your head, then these insects will not be scary.

source: http://doctoram.net

moose fly

At the end of August, annoying insects with a flat body, tenacious thick legs and a sharp proboscis with which they pierce the skin appear in the forests. They tend to get into the hair, and it is quite difficult to get them out. This is a moose fly.

Moose flies are also called: moose tick, moose louse. The scientific name for elk lice is deer bloodsucker (Lipoptena cervi). Moose flies are often confused with ticks (one of the names is moose tick) because when they get on the body they shed their wings and cling to the hair with their paws. Moose flies have nothing to do with ticks and do not carry tick-borne encephalitis.

Moose flies live over a vast territory including northern China, Siberia, and the European part of Russia. There are a lot of moose flies in Scandinavia. Introduced to North America. The number of moose flies is directly related to the number of elk and deer.

On warm, windless September days, swarms of moose flies appear. They get under clothes and in hair. They can remain on the body for several days. Moose fly bites are painful and unpleasant. A moose fly will not live long on a human body. They attack people by mistake.

Attention!

There is no evidence that moose flies carry infectious diseases. Although Borrelia and Bartonella are found in moose flies, cases of infection are unknown. Moose fly saliva can cause allergic reactions that include an itchy rash. In susceptible people, the rash persists for a long time and may require antiallergic treatment.

Moose flies attack only during the day. Moreover, both males and females feed on blood. To protect yourself from moose flies, you need to cover your hair and wear clothes with drawstrings. It is useful to take a comb into the forest to comb out flies caught in your hair.

Repellents may protect against moose flies. Treating clothing with permethrin helps. Moose flies fly poorly; in strong winds there are practically no flies. There are few of them in open places.

Interestingly, the development of moose fly larvae occurs inside the female, which gives birth to pupae.

source: http://www.ixodes.ru

Moose louse - dangerous or not?

Good day, comrades! Summer is ending and some of our “not brothers” and very small creatures have begun active reproduction... and (or) looking for an apartment for the winter...;-) In this case, I am writing about a creature that in the central part and north of the European part of Russia is called MOOSSE LICE.

While getting out into nature the other day, we wandered into a slightly swampy area of ​​the forest and scared away a couple of moose... My friends were happy about this circumstance, but I got a little tense and advised people to “cover themselves up” if possible. And it was not in vain... Very soon we were visited by a small flying creature in large numbers, but through the mask net we didn’t care about it!

True, having passed through this part of the forest and having already got out into the field (in the good midday sun), we only got rid of the last insects after a kilometer and a half.

In my opinion, this creature is worse than a tick, because fighting it is not as easy as fighting a tick (put on a suit, spray yourself with repellent - you’re all in the house, and if it’s not so categorical, then a simple mutual inspection will save even an unprepared tourist) . Everything is different here...

One salvation is the hood of the suit with a mesh and all the cuffs with a wide knitted elastic band (like sports jackets or socks), because this insect breaks through a simple sleeve with an elastic band threaded through the cracks formed by the folds of the fabric...

And once it gets under your clothes, it will begin to move around and bother you worse than an ant... You can also use elastic bands (often sold on eBay for rollerbladers and cyclists) to tighten (seal) the bottom of trousers and sleeves.

The moose louse is an insect that is not widely known to the population, although many have often encountered it, they simply confused it with a tick...

In fact, elk lice are widespread everywhere, where elk, roe deer, and deer are found, starting in August. They often get into your hair and are very difficult to remove in bulk. The moose louse has a flat body, thick, tenacious legs, and a proboscis with which they are able to pierce the skin and drink blood.

Elk lice have other names - elk flies or elk ticks, but scientifically they are called "deer bloodsucker". In fact, they are adapted for life on moose; when they get on them, they shed their wings and live for their own pleasure.

But elk lice get on people by accident, so they die very quickly, but until that moment they are a terribly annoying problem! There have been no cases of transmission of any diseases by elk louse, so there is no need to be afraid of them... That's what doctors say.

But these insects bite very unpleasantly and even painfully. At the site of an elk louse bite, redness may appear, and the bite may itch (the appearance of the wound and the area around it looks like what remains after removing a tick that has just bitten into your blood, but has not “sucked” in your blood, by the way, which is why a louse that has shed its wings is often confused with a tick).

If after a bite you have SUCH symptoms, then you should use an antiallergic drug that will help relieve itching and redness.

Well, I repeat once again: in order to protect yourself from insect attacks, you need to wear clothes that cover all parts of the body and have drawstrings or cuffs, and put a hat on your head or tie a bandana (shawl), a scarf (tube, bandana) on your neck or a scarf) then these insects will not be scary to you.

source: http://vizhivai.com

Deer bloodsucker or moose fly (lat. Lipoptena cervi)

Deer bloodsucker or elk fly (lat. Lipoptena cervi) (English: Deer Ked, Elk Fly)

This insect from the Bloodsucker family has many names: moose louse, moose fly, deer bloodsucker, moose tick. It received the prefix “elk” or “deer” thanks to its main breadwinners and hosts - elk, deer and other representatives of the deer family.

But despite this, it was also found in the fur of smaller animals - foxes, wild boars, badgers, bears, dogs and even birds!

Its distribution area is quite extensive and includes the territories of the European part of Russia, northern China, Siberia, Scandinavia and even North America. At their last place of residence they are “emigrants”.

In Russia, the deer bloodsucker is most often found in the Novgorod, Pskov, Leningrad, Kaluga, Vladimir, Tver and Yaroslavl regions. The number of these bloodsuckers directly depends on the size of the deer and elk population in these places.

Despite the name, this insect does not look much like a fly. Except that the wings give some similarity. The deer bloodsucker has one peculiarity - after “settling” on a new host, it sheds its wings and clings tightly to the hair with its paws.

After this procedure, it becomes like a tick, although it is not even closely related to it. This comparison arises due to the flattened shape of the fly's body, thanks to which it can withstand strong pressure. The picture of similarity with ticks is complemented by its small body size - no more than 3-3.5 mm.

On the flattened head there are 2 large eyes, which occupy almost ¼ of its surface. In addition to them, the bloodsucker also has 3 simple eyes.

The “mouth” is represented by a short but hard proboscis. Thanks to its strong legs with claws, the bloodsucker clings tightly to hairs or skin.

Flattened body

Transparent wings reach a length of 5.5-6 mm, but even despite the fact that their length is almost 2 times the length of the fly’s body, they fly poorly and only over short distances.

They decide to take this brave step only when they feel the warmth and smell of an approaching victim. They hunt during daylight hours.

Having successfully landed on the animal’s body, the bloodsuckers part with their wings without regret. This is necessary to make it more convenient to burrow into the wool and start eating.

After 2-3 weeks of such a serene life, they reach puberty. What’s most interesting is that wingless flies live in pairs. Finding a partner is not very difficult, since the number of these flies on one animal sometimes reaches 1000 individuals, but most often there are about 200-300 bloodsuckers.

Carrier of deer bloodsuckers

16-19 days after fertilization, the female gives birth to the first larva. It gives birth, since all representatives of the bloodsucker family are characterized by viviparity, or more precisely, puppet birth, i.e. In the body of the female, in the uterine-shaped expansion of the oviduct, the development of the egg and then the larva occurs.

Already formed prepupae 3-4 mm long are born, which after a couple of hours turn into puparia (false cocoon).

The female lays only 1 egg at a time. Then, when she gets rid of the burden, after 2-3 days a new maturation of the prepupa occurs. Females live for about 5-6 months and during this period they manage to lay about 20-30 puparia.

Having become covered with a hard shell, the smooth prepupae begin to fall to the ground (most often this happens between October and March). They remain in this state until August, after which young winged flies emerge from them.

Deer bloodsucker bites are quite painful. At one time, both the female and the male suck on average about 1 mg of blood each, and they eat frequently - about 15-20 times a day. It is not difficult to calculate that with 200-300 individuals living on the body, a decent loss of blood occurs.

Attention!

This often leads to exhaustion and developmental delays in young artiodactyls. In addition, animal fur becomes heavily contaminated with fly excrement.

She can also attack a person, and sudden waving movements will not frighten her. Removing it is also not so easy, since they are firmly attached to the skin or clothing with their tenacious paws and claws.

They do not start eating right away, after about 30-60 minutes. At the site of the bite, the skin turns red and a dense nodule forms, which lasts from 4 to 20 days.

One of the most reliable ways to protect yourself from attacks by these bloodsuckers is protective clothing. It is advisable that it be overalls or a jacket and trousers with tight-fitting cuffs on the sleeves and trousers. In extreme cases, trousers can be tucked into boots or socks. The head must also be protected.

source: https://ianimal.ru/

Is moose louse dangerous for humans?

In the forest, this insect often attacks people and it is not easy to remove it from the body and hair. How dangerous is moose louse for humans and how to protect yourself from it?

These unpleasant creatures, which are called elk lice or, more correctly, deer bloodsucker, although they pose a certain danger to humans, are still not fatal. And although they bite painfully (although I didn’t have the chance to experience bites on myself), they settle on a person’s body for a long time to bite, about an hour.

The greatest danger is for hunters who decide to cut up the meat of killed animals right in the forest, since the main target for elk lice is forest animals.

Of course, mushroom pickers can also get their share of bloodsuckers, so if you feel that someone is crawling on your clothes or body or hair, you should not consider yourself suspicious, but check who is crawling.

After all, the deer bloodsucker on a person strives to occupy a position as high as possible. And although they are difficult to choke on, as well as being removed from the body, it is still quite possible. After the forest, I also recommend cleaning your clothes and body, or even better, taking a shower or bathing in some way.

Perhaps you can further protect yourself if you go into the forest with your clothes properly buttoned and sprayed with tick repellent, since mosquito repellent does not work on them. But this also will not give you a 100% guarantee; you just have to react to crawling.

Well, try to quickly leave the place where you were attacked by elk lice, since in open spaces, in forests, in moss swamps there are practically no lice, but they love tall grass and shrubs.

In general, a person is not such a desirable “product” for an elk louse. For her, he is an accidental victim. But this doesn’t make it any easier for people.

Each person experiences an elk louse bite in his own way - some people do not notice the bites at all, while in others it causes painful reactions. At the same time, everyone claims that with repeated bites they take longer to heal, and the pain is more intense.

No cases of infection with any diseases during the attack of these bloodsuckers have been identified. But, nevertheless, it is necessary to protect yourself from elk lice, if only for the reason that the bite sites are very painful, a person constantly scratches these places and can easily introduce some kind of infection into the wound.

No repellents work on moose louse, so the best way to protect yourself is to wear thick clothing with a minimum number of exposed areas. An anti-tick suit or at least an anti-tick cape or jacket, popularly called “encephalitis,” protects very well.

source: http://www.bolshoyvopros.ru

General understanding of moose lice

The moose louse owes its name to forest dwellers - deer, elk, foxes, wild boars, etc., whose blood it feeds on. Other names for the insect are moose fly, moose tick, and deer bloodsucker.

The moose louse is a light brown fly with a flattened body 3 to 3.5 mm long. The head is also flat, pushed forward. The antennae are located on the forehead, in the depressions, and almost do not protrude above the surface.

Elk lice have large eyes that occupy a quarter of the entire surface of the head. In addition to the main pair of eyes, the insect has 3 more simple eyes. The mouthparts resemble a proboscis. The legs are strong, the thighs are thick.

The deer bloodsucker has well-developed, transparent wings, the length of which is from 5.5 to 6 mm. Insects are often mistaken for ticks, because when they sit on the body, they hide their wings, clinging to the hair with their paws.

Reproduction

Insects reproduce by viviparity. The egg develops in the mother's body, and larvae 3-4 mm in size appear during birth. Typically, this process begins to occur in the last 2 weeks of September.

Larvae hatched from October to March develop with the onset of warm weather, until August. As a result, by the end of summer, adult moose lice can be observed. Despite the presence of large wings, insects fly poorly, so they hunt for prey from the grass, branches of bushes or trees.

Animal attack

While on the animal's fur, the female lays puparia (cases in which pupae develop). Under favorable conditions, a female can lay up to 30 puparia during her short life, which fall to the ground from the host’s fur.

By attacking animals, moose lice cause anxiety to them, which can result in exhaustion and stunted growth of young animals. Moose flies feed up to 20 times a day.

At the sites of blood sucking, redness on the skin is noticed and papules form. Insects are localized in areas with long hair - on the back and neck of animals. In this case, the coat becomes contaminated with lice excrement.

Assault on a person

Having reached the human body, the insect will remain motionless for several seconds, and then begin to move very quickly upward, climbing into the hair or under clothing. They do not leave the owner, and it is difficult to get rid of insects.

After a certain period of time after the attack (from 30 minutes to 1 hour), the louse begins to suck blood. In this case, a person experiences various sensations - from painlessness to severe pain with itching and burning. Manifestations on the skin are also individual.

There is evidence that a person who has been bitten by these insects for several years in a row has a more pronounced skin reaction, and the consequences of the bites are more complex. These include the following:

1. the presence of a dense nodule that persists on the skin for up to 20 days;
2. a slight reddened spot without swelling, but with severe itching – up to 3 weeks;
3. blister formation.

source: http://mydermis.ru/

Are they dangerous to human health?

Hiking in the forest is a dangerous undertaking. To avoid unpleasant consequences from such a walk, you need to be well prepared for it. Moose lice are insects that feed on the blood of cattle. This does not exclude their frequent attacks on humans.

Appearance

The louse has a light brown tint. Its flattened body reaches 4.5 mm in length. A significant part of the fly's body is occupied by the eyes.

The insect is endowed with two large eyes and three auxiliary ones. Their surface has a faceted structure. A large number of visual organs and their significant size do not have a positive effect on the insect’s ability to see. A tick can only distinguish small objects from large ones.

The surface is streaked with clearly visible veins. The tick uses this organ extremely rarely - only once, when flying to the host's body. There are small antennae on the insect's forehead.

Attention!

All of the above qualities help in the life of the insect. Thanks to them, the louse finds a victim, attacks it and settles in the hairline.

Moose louse development

The development of a fly takes 5 months. After mating, a fertilized egg is formed in the body of the female moose louse. After some time, the larva transforms into a pupa. Next, the birth process occurs: the female gives birth to a pupa. The newborn larva develops throughout the spring and summer.

Having settled on the animal, the moose louse begins to look for a pair to mate with. Insects live no more than six months - with the onset of spring they die.

In most cases, moose ticks search for victims in the forest. However, there are cases when they attack domestic cattle. The forest attracts insects due to its conditions: lack of wind, sufficient level of dampness, little sunlight.

One of the important stages in the life of a deer bloodsucker is the search for a mate. Partners stay together throughout their lives. Insects can find each other before they settle on an animal, or after that. Lice often attack in large groups.

Having climbed up the fur, the louse reaches the skin and digs in. Before this, the insect gets rid of its wings. One flea is not dangerous to an animal. It can cause minor damage.

Should you be afraid of attack?

Moose flies are less dangerous to humans than to animals. But they can still bite. For humans, moose flies are much less dangerous than for animals. Insects hunt mainly in the forest. Cases of ticks being found outside the forest area are extremely rare.

The moose tick bites very painfully. The affected area becomes slightly inflamed. After some time, a compaction appears. The bloodsucker itself is not a carrier of infections, so you cannot become infected with any disease by contact with it.

The danger of a bite is the severe itching that appears later. Dirt may well get into the comb, which will lead to much more serious inflammation. In addition, people susceptible to allergic reactions are at increased risk.

What the deer bloodsucker has in common with the common tick is that it is just as difficult to remove from the skin. If you notice a louse on your skin or hair, you need to remove it immediately. There are several ways to remove a stuck insect:

Well tolerated previous bites are not an indicator of immunity. Experts note that any contact with an insect can provoke a reaction.

Removing an elk tick is similar to removing a regular wood tick. Scratching should not be allowed. For severe itching, you should use the same methods that are used to treat flea, mosquito and fly bites. You can use products that are sold in pharmacies, or resort to the advice of traditional medicine.

Among non-traditional methods, the most effective are applying ice to the affected area, washing the bite with calendula infusion or treating with aloe. If signs of an allergy appear, the doctor will prescribe a course of antihistamines.

How to protect yourself from attack

Seeing a man, a deer fly flies onto his clothes. As she lands, she clings to the fabric with her feet. Then it makes its way through the canvas to the skin and digs in. The insect prefers those areas of the skin where hair grows.

Therefore, when going into the forest, you need to pay special attention to the presence of a headdress. What other precautions should you take:

1. wear clothing that meets all safety requirements;
2. wash with tar soap;
3. spray special insect repellents on clothing;
4. after leaving the forest, carefully inspect your clothes;
5. at home, completely undress and examine your entire body for bites or ticks.

Clothes for hiking should completely cover the body and not restrict movement. The best option in this case is a plain jumpsuit. The sleeves and legs should be secured with an elastic band. In addition, pants are tucked into socks and boots. It is best to put a mosquito net on your head.

The garden plot must be treated with a special insect repellent. When spraying a garden or vegetable garden, you should choose products that do not have a negative effect on animals, people and plants.

If it is possible to carry out frequent watering, it is better to replace the special product with ordinary water - the moose fly does not tolerate high humidity.

The bite of a deer bloodsucker does not entail serious consequences. We can conclude that the insect does not pose a great threat to human health and life. However, there is still a danger. To eliminate the possibility of encountering this parasite, you need to take simple precautions.

The moose fly, or deer bloodsucker, lives mainly in the forest, so you can get its bite after relaxing in nature or going for berries and mushrooms, in the late summer or autumn months. They are very persistent and, as a rule, attack a person in large numbers, trying to get into the victim's hair.

moose fly

The moose fly is slightly brown in color with a leathery, shiny cover. Its body length is approximately 3 ml. Thanks to its fairly dense cover and unique shape, the body of the moose fly is able to withstand strong pressure.

The deer bloodsucker also has large eyes, located on the sides of the head and occupying a quarter of its surface. The mouth is similar in structure to the proboscis of burner flies. Its dense, transparent wings are quite well developed. The cover of the female's abdomen is elastic and is capable of expanding during the period of “gestation” of the larvae and during blood sucking.

When choosing prey, the bloodsucker is guided by vision and attacks humans mainly during the day.

They can judge its size and discern whether it is moving or not. Bloodsuckers are more likely to attack people and animals in motion from a distance of 50 m, and at low temperatures they fly from the grass at a distance of 15 m. Having seen a suitable victim, the fly quickly heads towards it, and having landed on the body, sheds its wings and, biting into the hair or fur and begin to suck out the blood. After about 3 weeks, the flies mature and begin to reproduce on the animal’s body, and in a short period of time, up to a thousand bloodsucker specimens can breed on one elk. The elk becomes the so-called host for the bloodsuckers, and they can exist on its body for up to 6 months, feeding on blood. For more information about bloodsuckers, watch this video:

Moose fly attacks on people can also be widespread. One person can be attacked by 120 bloodsuckers per minute.

Flies prefer large prey and, as a rule, do not attack children under 8 years old, especially if they are near adults. Having attacked a person, the fly at first remains motionless, and after a few seconds begins to move rapidly and tries to get into the hair or under clothing. Waving your arms won't help - flies are not afraid of sudden swings of their limbs. Removing it can also be very difficult, since its flat body and legs, equipped with tenacious claws, allow it to firmly attach itself to the victim. Having settled in things or hair, they begin to suck blood half an hour after the attack.

They begin to actively hide in hard-to-reach places, and can only be seen during the period of blood sucking. At this moment they are very vulnerable and are not able to respond to danger in a timely manner.

Moose flies hide in hard to reach places

Flies digest the blood they drink in about 24 hours. The female needs to feed up to 20 times a day in order to be able to actively reproduce. In one single bite, a fly can absorb up to 2 mg in the blood. At the same time, the sensations and skin manifestations that a moose fly bite causes vary depending on the person.

Some sensitive people feel pain and itching, while others, on the contrary, do not feel any special symptoms.

As for skin manifestations, it all depends on whether the victim has increased sensitivity to fly saliva. Those people who have been attacked by bloodsuckers for several years react to them much more strongly.

Harm from moose fly bites to humans

Initially, the bite is practically unnoticeable, and only after several days a peculiar nodule appears at the site where the fly sucked blood, which provokes itching and stays on the skin for 20 days. In some cases, people who have been bitten by moose flies have observed faint, reddened spots on their skin. After three days, the spots began to itch. As a rule, after a couple of weeks, the peculiar sores completely disappeared. To learn how moose flies attack humans and how to escape from them, watch this video:

In rare cases, a person has developed a blister at the site where the moose fly was bitten and experienced persistent dermographism. The sore can become infected and break out. At night, the body temperature may rise. But the sores did not always appear in the near future after the bite; sometimes, in response to the bite, acute inflammatory red nodules, varying in diameter, formed. Their treatment will take 4 - 6 months.

If a person is bitten by such a fly for the first time, he may experience discomfort and pain until the resulting rash finally goes away. The sores will itch and in some cases even break out. You cannot scratch the crusts that form at the site of spots and rashes, otherwise you can introduce dirt and cause infection.

Experienced hunters and mushroom pickers no longer feel fly bites

Moose flies often attack hunters and foresters, who over time get used to their bites and no longer experience pain.

Bloodsucker bites do not cause allergic reactions in humans; in extreme cases, severe itching. It is also worth remembering that moose flies cannot transmit any dangerous diseases to humans.

Protection against moose fly bites

It will be quite difficult to avoid an attack by an elk fly in the forest. As soon as they sense a person nearby, they immediately attack.

To prevent possible bites, you need to know a few simple rules that can protect a person from them.

First of all, in the forest you must use a mosquito net and wear clothing that covers your body, or use special repellents.

Repellents in aerosol form allow you to apply the product evenly to all exposed parts of the body.

There are no active repellents that can completely protect a person from an elk fly attack, so it is imperative to wear special clothing. Moose flies are active mainly in the autumn season, so wearing protective clothing will not make a person too hot and uncomfortable.

You can also wear regular clothing instead of protective coveralls. The shirt will need to be properly tucked into the trousers, and the trouser legs into the boots or long socks with an elastic band. In this case, you need to fasten the collar and put a hat or scarf on your head. Clothing should be carefully examined after arriving home to check for the presence of deer bloodsuckers. For more information about fighting flies, watch this useful video:

After returning home from the forest, it is best to immediately take a warm bath and wash with tar soap, which will help wash the bloodsucker off the body.

How to cure moose fly bites?

As a rule, bites from moose flies are not isolated, because they quickly scatter throughout the victim’s body. Bite areas most often begin to swell, and this is a normal reaction of the body. If there is itching or other unpleasant sensations, you need to treat the affected areas yourself at home.

First of all, it is necessary to disinfect the affected area with hydrogen peroxide or iodine.

They will help prevent sores from becoming infected. Afterwards you will need to lubricate the sores with a special ointment that will relieve the itching. In this case, ice will help relieve the resulting swelling. You should also take a small dose of antihistamines.

Diazolin will help relieve allergic symptoms

If a person has an allergic reaction, then it is necessary to apply an ointment to the wounds to relieve pain. Completing these simple but mandatory actions will be quite enough, but if a person’s condition worsens, it is necessary to urgently seek advice from a specialist.

Typically, in severe cases, an anaphylactic package is used, which includes an injection of epinephrine, a tourniquet and antihistamines. In this case, only a competent doctor can provide qualified assistance.

The amazing creature has similarities with,. At a certain stage of development, there is a pair of transparent wings on the back, which reach a length of 6 mm. The insect uses them only to move upward, a short distance. Outwardly it looks like a fly, but after it gets on the host’s body, it sheds its wings and is more like a flea or tick.

The body is elongated, up to 3.5 mm in size. Shiny dark cover, flattened shape. A clearly visible head with pronounced large eyes. In addition to them, there are 3 more simple eyes on the head.

On a note!

Apart from its powerful paws, the creature resembles a flea. But, given the way the moose fly digs its claws into the skin, it looks more like a tick.

The body is flat with a durable chitinous cover. In a hungry state, the insect is very difficult to crush. As food arrives, as well as during pregnancy, the abdomen greatly increases in size.

The mouthparts of the moose fly are piercing-sucking, resembling the structure. The proboscis has a row of hard chitinous bristles that act as teeth and help gnaw through the skin of warm-blooded animals. A photo of a moose fly is shown below. You can clearly see an amazing creature with different names.

Reproduction

The bloodsucker fly is viviparous. The larvae are incubated in the abdomen, reproducing when they are ripe for pupation. Gives birth to one every 2-3 days. After mating, the first larva is born after 16-20 days.

Large prepupae up to 3 mm in size do not undergo changes, they simply harden and fall to the ground. The rest continues in the forest floor, the top layer of soil. The first puparia appear at the end of August, in September. Pupae born from October to March continue to develop only with the onset of warm days in the spring, at a temperature of +15 degrees Celsius.

Around the end of August, winged, blood-sucking young individuals appear. The moose fly acquires the ability to mate after sucking blood. After 20 days, the first puparia appear, subsequent ones are born every 3 days. The lifespan of the imago is 6 months. During this time, one female manages to lay about 30 larvae. The full development cycle lasts 2 years.

Interesting!

In places where deer and elk feed and rest, hunters or gamekeepers have the opportunity to observe how tits feast on bloodsucker pupae. They literally fall in colonies from animal fur. Pests were often found on the bodies of wild dogs, wild boars, bears, wolves, wolverines, and birds. Cattle suffer from pest attacks.

Lifestyle of a bloodsucker

The forest fly is active during the day. After emerging from the pupa, young individuals hide in the grass and low bushes. They are capable of waiting for prey for a month. They detect the approach of animals by smell and movement. They quickly fly into the air and land on the owner's body.

The deer fly examines the “terrain” for several minutes, climbs into areas with a thick, long coat of fur - the back, neck, and sheds its wings. It clings to the skin with its claws and bites. It digs in with its proboscis and sucks out about 1.5 ml of blood at a time. After the first meal, the ability to mate appears.

Harm to animals

Hunters counted up to 300 individuals on the body of one deer. The pest is able to stick tightly to the fur and cannot be torn off even with teeth.

On a note!

Shepherds, hunters, gamekeepers, and ordinary nature lovers are regularly attacked by pests. While waiting for prey, the moose fly reacts to movement and the smell of sweat. Up to 120 flies can attack one person at a time. They cling tightly to clothes, are not afraid of sudden movements, make their way to the body, and get into the hair. They begin to bite after 15-60 minutes.

Interesting!

Moose ticks practically do not attack small children under the age of 10 years. If a teenager is next to an adult, he will not suffer the same fate. Pests prefer large victims.

How dangerous is the moose fly for humans?

Moose fly bites are treated in the same way as other harmful insects. Wipe the sore spot with ice cubes, medical alcohol, ammonia, aloe juice, and chamomile decoction. Lubricate with Zvezdochka balm and Menovazin. If there is an allergic reaction, take antihistamines and treat sore spots with antiallergic ointments.

Externally, the moose tick is a fly, the body size of which does not exceed 5 mm. Has a large head. Has poor vision, despite having a pair of eyes and three additional ocelli. Focuses on the terrain and the victim based on contours. It has dense and transparent wings, which it sheds after it finds a victim. At this moment, the insect looks very much like an ordinary tick.

Danger to humans

The deer bloodsucker bites a person hard and painfully. Characteristic redness and swelling appear on the body.

Bite marks appear as small bloody spots. The use of folk remedies usually helps to eliminate itching. In practice, the use of calendula tincture, aloe juice, ice cubes and soda paste has shown its effectiveness. To soothe the damaged area of ​​the skin, it is recommended to use flea bite repellents. The simplest and most inexpensive ointment is the “Star” balm. After visiting a doctor, the victim may be prescribed antihistamines and ointments that have antiallergic properties.

Precautionary measures

To avoid becoming a victim of this type of bloodsucker, you must follow safety rules when going into the forest. It is advised to wear clothes that cover the body as much as possible, and tuck pants into socks or shoes. The cuffs on sleeves and trousers should fit snugly around the wrists and ankles. It is best to cover your head with a scarf or cap.

Remember that it is much more difficult to detect insects on colorful and dark clothing than on light-colored ones.

It is good to use a special mosquito net for protection. It will make it possible to protect your face, neck and ears from bites. You should also use repellents that contain more than 20% DEET. Residents of Siberia apply tar in strips to exposed skin before going into the forest for protection before going into the forest.

Video “Details about the moose bloodsucker”

From this video you will learn about what a moose bloodsucker (moose tick) is.

The moose tick has many other names - deer bloodsucker, deer louse, deer tick. In fact, this light brown insect belongs to the family of bloodsuckers and the order Diptera.

The moose fly is attracted to large objects, such as elk or deer, but it can also attack humans.

The deer bloodsucker feeds on the blood of wild animals and cattle. One large deer, elk or wild boar can support about 1,000 individuals. Having glided towards the body of the victim, the ticks shed their wings. Firstly, they no longer need them, and secondly, with such an accessory it is inconvenient to get directly to the skin. For full development and procreation, the female needs to eat well and regularly. And if you consider that every few days one larva is born, it sucks blood up to 20 times per day. This is why animals, especially sick or weak ones, become exhausted and die very quickly.

The full cycle of formation of a larva into an adult tick takes 3 weeks. Then the insect jumps to the ground and finishes its development there.

Does the moose bloodsucker attack humans?

Experience shows that the moose fly often attacks people. This happens during the day when there is no wind - mainly in the forest and field. Foresters, shepherds and hunters are at risk. The greatest activity of bloodsuckers occurs in August-September. There are cases when up to 100 individuals jumped on a person in a minute!

Interesting! According to statistics, deer louse are more attracted to dynamic objects of fairly large stature. This is probably why children under 7-8 years old are not of interest to them.

Human blood is completely useless for deer bloodsuckers - feeding on it, they cannot lay larvae.

Danger to humans of moose fly bites

People's reactions to tick bites can vary. Some experience barely noticeable discomfort that goes away after a couple of days. Others experience severe pain, accompanied by redness, itching, swelling and burning. This condition can last from 2 to 3 weeks.

The main danger of moose fly to human health is its ability to cause various types of dermatitis. At best, the bite site turns a little red, at worst, it becomes covered with a rash, crusts and blisters, in place of which, after some time, hard papules appear.

Is the moose tick dangerous for humans and does it carry more serious diseases? Let us hasten to reassure you - this insect is not the cause of the development of encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis disease.

To protect yourself from moose ticks, take care of your clothing. It should cover all open areas of the body as much as possible and be spacious enough. The ideal model is a jumpsuit with a hood and tight-fitting cuffs or sleeves, tightened with elastic. The collar must be fastened with all the fasteners, and the cuffs must be tucked into the shoes and secured with socks. The color of clothing is very important - it is easier to notice ticks on a plain jumpsuit than on a colored one. Be sure to protect your head and face with a mosquito net.

How to remove moose ticks from skin?

If you suffer from a deer bloodsucker bite, immediately find it on your body and remove it using one of the proven methods.

Method 1. Vegetable oil

Method 2. Thread

Method 3. Tweezers or special twister

Grab the bloodsucker under the belly with tweezers and begin to twist it counterclockwise. Act slowly and gradually, otherwise the proboscis will remain in the wound.

Advice! After removing the tick, disinfect the wound with alcohol and seek medical attention. To relieve redness and reduce itching, use antiallergy creams and tablets.

Methods for controlling moose ticks

How to deal with bloodsucker? There are several effective methods - industrial and folk.

Terrain processing

Powerful insecticides are used to treat the area. Samples of the first generation caused irreparable harm not only to mites, but also to trees, so they were used only when absolutely necessary. But modern products are absolutely safe for people, indoor plants and pets.

Room treatment

To remove moose ticks from indoors, use liquid carbon dioxide cooled to -50 degrees. No living creature can survive in such cold.

Regular mowing

To protect summer cottages from moose bloodsuckers, you need to mow the grass more often. It is in dense and tall thickets that they most often appear.

Moose ticks, like many other insects, love to live in thick grass, so you need to keep your lawn mowed regularly.

Spraying lawns

Experts advise regularly spraying lawns and trees with ordinary water - ticks hate moisture. To be safe, add alcohol and crushed garlic, a decoction of tansy and wormwood. Planting wormwood or tansy in areas where elk flies are permanent habitats is also suitable.

Using repellents

Before going into the forest, apply a strong repellent that contains DET to your clothing. They have a repellent effect and will not allow ticks to get to the distance you need to jump. An alternative to store-bought products is a bath or shower with tar soap foam.