human bot fly

The human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis, is a type of fly whose larvae are parasitic on mammals, including humans. These flies are found in tropical America.1

The female bot fly attaches her eggs to other insects, such as mosquitoes or stable flies, which then carry the eggs to a host. When the host's body heat stimulates the eggs, they hatch into larvae. These tiny larvae then penetrate the host's skin. This infestation of fly larvae in the body is known as myiasis. In the case of the human bot fly, this can lead to a loss of beef and hides in livestock and can affect humans.12