8i8 . THE DIPTERA 



very blood-thirsty, and are a terrible pest in the wet season to man 

 and beast alike. They are said never to bite in the early morning 

 or after sunset, but, on the contrary, Mayer states that H. decora 

 is most troublesome in the early morning and late evening. Neave 



Fig. 41 1. — Lepzdoselaga lepidota Wiedemann: Female. {X6.) 



Fig. 412. — Hcsmatopota vittata Loew. (X4-) 



states that the females bite in rather dull, damp weather, and 

 rarely in the heat of the sun, being mostly in evidence from about 

 8 to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to sunset in sunny weather, but in 

 the shady, damp forest they may be troublesome all day. The 



