Black Fly/Biting Gnat Frequently Asked Questions
1Do black flies transmit West Nile virus?
There has been no documentation of black flies transmitting West Nile Virus to date. Black flies can transmit a disease of filarial worms, onchocerciasis, which causes blindness in people in Mexico, Central America and Africa. In addition, black flies can transmit leucocytozoonosis, a protozoan parasite, to domestic and wild birds.
2Why are they called black flies when bigger houseflies are also ‘black’?
Almost every animal and plant has a scientific name and a common name or names. The scientific name is universally used by scientists and students worldwide. The common names are used in daily life and may vary from one place to another for the same animal or plant. The group of true flies includes: house flies, deer flies, horse flies, black flies and many other species. The scientific name that the insect family of all black flies share is Simuliidae. However this insect has many common names such as: black fly, blackfly, buffalo gnat, and reed smut. In French-speaking Canada they are known as mouches noires, in Latin America as jejenes, and so forth.
3How many species of black flies are there?
At last count, 1,912 species of black flies have been formally described world wide, 257 in North America. In Minnesota, 30 species have been documented.