INSECT PESTS 



323 



Heel flies (Hypoderma bovis H. Lineata). These 

 flies do an immense amount of damage to cattle, both 

 domestic and range, every year. They are also locally 

 known as "hot" flies and "warble flies." They are about 

 half an inch long and resemble ordinary honey bees. In 

 March a rider will see a bunch of cattle all "shaded up" 

 under a bank or a tree and standing quietly. Suddenly 



A Bogged Down Cow Overlooked by the "Bog Riders." 



out darts a cow, tail and head high in the air, a wild look 

 in her eyes and kicking out viciously with her heels. 

 She charges at full speed for the nearest waterhole, into 

 which she plunges as deep as she can. It is "heel fly" 

 season in that vicinity and many an old weak cow finds 

 her final resting place in some sticky mudhole, driven 

 there to escape the attacks of this fly, too weak to drag 

 herself out again. 



