PARASITIC INSECTS 



49 



Botflies. The botflies are all heavy-bodied insects resem- 

 bling small bumblebees. Their mouth parts are very weak, and 

 it is probable that no food is eaten by the adults. The horse 

 botfly (Fig. 28, C) is about half an inch long, and brownish 



FIG. 29. Larvae (bots) of the horse botfly attached to the wall of a horse's 

 stomach. (Photo by Osborn.) 



yellow in color. It attaches its yellowish eggs to the hair on 

 the shoulders, legs, or belly of the horse (Fig. 28, A). These 

 eggs are licked off and swallowed by the horse, and the larvae 

 which hatch from them (Fig. 28, B) fasten themselves by means 



