Where Can You Get Bot Flies in the UK?
WouterBot flies are parasitic insects that can infest humans. There are nine species of bot flies that can be found in the UK. Most are found in southern and midlands regions. They are rarely seen in the northernmost parts of the UK. They can also infect animals. Most are resistant to oral antibiotics.
Humans are most likely to be infected by botflies in the late summer and early fall. Infected individuals can reduce their risk of infestation by covering up while spending time in the sun. The larvae of bot flies attach to the skin and make their way into the respiratory and central nervous system. The symptoms can be serious and may even lead to death if not treated quickly.
The life cycle of bot flies varies from species to species. Some species are parasitic and live in the digestive tracts of horses. During the summer, horses are exposed to the pests and people can get infected by working with them. Therefore, it’s important to wash your hands thoroughly after handling animals.
Adult bot flies are brown striped insects that are about ten to twenty millimeters long. They resemble scrawny wasps with one pair of wings. They survive long enough to lay eggs on horses. They then die once the nutrients from their larval stage have been used up.
