B-966

Sheep Bot Fly Biology and Management

By John Lloyd, Professor, and

Michael Brewer, Assistant Professor and Cooperative Extension Service Entomologist,

Department of Renewable Resources

The larva of the sheep bot fly is a parasite that lives on mucous surfaces of the nasal passages and sinuses of sheep and goats. Bee-like in appearance, the adults do not feed, and the females do not lay eggs directly on the host. Fertile eggs hatch within the female fly and are deposited in the host’s nostrils.

The history of the larvae is given in this publication along with several figures showing stages and graphs. Management is difficult because of the location of the parasite in the host.