A CANNIBAL FLY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 8, 12 April 1916, Page 4

A CANNIBAL FLY.

Some curious facts have come to light! with regal'd to a new species of fly, that has been discovered in some parts of Southland. Several householders | (says the Southland Times), have no-; ticed this fly on their windows. To all appearances it is a cannibal. It, lies quite still until one. of the ordinary house flies comes near it, then it springs upon the house fly and forces its head hack until the head is separated from the body. Through th o open-, ing it inserts its proboscis and sucks the blood of the house fly. One house-, holder at Otautau was curious enough to report the habits of the new fly to Mi 0. M. Thomson, of Dunedin, at the same time sending along a specimen. Mr Thomson replied that he was not aide to name it, though it seemed familiar, hut he sent it on to Mr 1). Miller, of Wellington, who is the best authority in New Zealand on the Diptera group. Mr Miller identified the specimen as a species of Trichophthicus fam. Anthomyidae. In a note Mr Miller said that the fly was fairly common, and he had noticed it capturing other flies, but was at a loss to understand how it obtained nourishment from its victims as the mouth parts, were in the form of a proboscis. The habit mentioned by the Otautau householder of knocking off the head of the house fly explained the matter. Mr Miller regarded the facts brought under his notice as being extremely inter T esting. Tliis appears to be the first time that the cannibal fly has been noticed in Southland: at least it is the first time that it has been brought, uu-j der notice and definitely named. |