TNPSC Thervupettagam

Blood-Sucking Flies in Andaman

January 25 , 2025 2 days 68 0
  • Researchers have identified 23 species of blood-sucking flies in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including 13 species previously unreported in India.
  • Locally called ‘Bhusi flies,’ these insects belong to the Culicoides genus and are similar to mosquitoes in their feeding habits.
  • They primarily feed on the blood of livestock like sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as wild animals such as deer.
  • Five species of that can transmit the Blue Tongue Disease virus, a condition that can be fatal to livestock.
  • 17 out of the 23 species identified also bite humans, though no human disease transmission has been reported so far.

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