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Chapter XXXIII 



BLOOD-SUCKING FLIES 



The Diptera or flies are two-winged insects (the 

 posterior pair of wings being transformed into h alter es), 

 and are so distinguished for example from the Hemip- 

 tera or bugs which generally have four wings. In the 

 Diptera the metamorphosis is complete, eggs, larva, 

 pupa, insect ; in the Hemiptera it is not so. The 

 following have blood-sucking habits : 



The Nematocera (y^^a, thread ; /ee/oa?, antenna). 



1 . Blepharoceridae. 



Wings iridescent, ample, bare, with creases, no 

 6 discal ' cell on wing (the discal cell lies between the 

 second posterior cell and . the second basal cell). 

 Posterior tibiae with stout spines, anterior tibiae 

 unarmed. The fourth vein is the one immediately 

 preceding the large posterior fork, the incomplete 

 vein not being counted. They resemble midges. 

 The larvae have suckers, and are found attached 

 to stones in the water. 



(1) Genus Curupira . (? blood-sucking). No 

 incomplete vein between the first and fourth. Eyes 

 contiguous. C. torrentium, Brazil. 



(2) Genus Snozuia (? blood-sucking). Eyes 

 separated by a broad frons. Palpi four-jointed, well 

 developed. 



2. Culicidae. Mosquitoes or gnats. 



3. Chironomidae. (Midges). 



Head small, often retracted under thorax, which 

 has no transverse suture. Simple eyes (ocelli) absent 



