Where Do Bot Flies Live?

Bot flies, or human bot fly, are endoparasites that can infest humans and livestock. They live in small holes in the skin and burrow into the flesh of their hosts to lay their eggs. When the larvae hatch, they latch onto the stomach of the mosquito and burrow into the tiny wound created by the bite. If you’re unfortunate enough to have a bot fly bite, you should apply petroleum jelly to it, which will suffocate the larvae. Then, within a day, you can remove the botfly with tweezers.

Botflies are most common in Southern California, but can also infest other parts of the country. Normally, they attack humans in late August and early September. A good way to avoid getting attacked is to cover up with a blanket when you’re in the sun. You’ll be much less likely to get infested by botflies if you avoid sunbathing during this time. However, they’re parasites only after you’ve come into contact with their eggs, and their larvae will only hatch when their host animal begins to blood-feed.

Human botflies can be found in North America, but they’re much more common in the tropics. They lay their eggs on mosquitoes and flies. The larvae feed on the host’s blood and live for 27 to 128 days. After this, they molt into their second instar, which is a creamy color and has black spikes on its body.

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