Hypoderma lineatum

insect

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Hypoderma lineatum is a species of warble fly, also known as a cattle grub. These large, heavy flies are found in Europe and North America.12

Female warble flies lay their eggs on the legs of cattle. The larvae then burrow into the skin, migrating through the animal's body for months. This migration creates a lump, or warble, on the animal's back, which has a breathing hole.2

Once fully developed, the cattle grub exits the animal, drops to the ground, and pupates into an adult fly. The warbles caused by these larvae can reduce the commercial value of cowhide. Control methods include insecticides and manual removal of the larvae.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

warble fly
The warble, or bot, flies Hypoderma lineatum and H. bovis are large, heavy, and beelike. The females deposit their eggs on the legs of cattle. The larvae penetrate the skin, migrate through the body for several months, and produce a characteristic lump, or warble, on the animal’s back. The warble…
Read More
The warble, or bot, flies Hypoderma lineatum and H. bovis are large, heavy, and beelike. The females deposit their eggs on the legs of cattle. The larvae penetrate the skin, migrate through the body for several months, and produce a characteristic lump, or warble, on the animal’s back. The warble…
Read More

bot fly
In the warble flies (Hypoderma lineatum and H. bovis; subfamily Hypodermatinae), young larvae penetrate the skin of cattle and migrate through the body for several months until they come to rest beneath the skin of the animal’s back. There each larva causes a characteristic lump, or warble, from which…
Read More
In the warble flies (Hypoderma lineatum and H. bovis; subfamily Hypodermatinae), young larvae penetrate the skin of cattle and migrate through the body for several months until they come to rest beneath the skin of the animal’s back. There each larva causes a characteristic lump, or warble, from which…
Read More