Description and photos of tsetse flies

One of the worst enemies of man and domesticated livestock and at the same time the savior of the wild world of Central Africa - the tsetse fly has 23 species, varying sizes. If not for these inhabitants of the African savannah, the planet would have been completely devoid of the wild world of Africa. Only the fly flies, which infects pets with trypanosomiasis, saved the savannah from overgrazing and soil erosion caused by cattle.

What does a tsetse fly look like?

The fly does not differ in impressive dimensions, nor in bright colors. This is a nondescript gray insect. The size of the tsetse fly varies from 9 to 14 mm, depending on which species of this dangerous genus a particular insect belongs to.

The tsetse has a reddish-gray chest with 4 longitudinal dark brown stripes, the abdomen is yellowish above and gray below.

On a note!

If the fly sits quietly, then the general impression of the color is gray. Wings folded on each other do not allow to see the color of a small abdomen, and the chest is visible well.

All species of tsetse flies have 4 traits that distinguish them from ordinary dipterous relatives living in Europe:

1. The trunk of the piercing type is directed not down, but forward. In the photo of the tsetse fly taken from above, this peak sticking forward is clearly visible.
2. In a calm state, the wings are completely folded and lie on each other. The other two signs are easier to see on an insect killed.
3. On the wing there is a characteristic pattern of veins: in the middle of the wing, the intersection of the veins forms the silhouette of a butcher's knife.
4. Tsetse antennae “fluffy”. The ostium growing on the main antennae branches at the end.

This characteristic appearance makes it easy to distinguish the killer fly from all other insects of the African savannah.

Habitat

All tsetse species live in subequatorial and equatorial Africa. In addition to tsetse sizes, they differ in their moisture content. Tsetse flies are divided into 3 groups according to habitat:

• Palpalis: lives in coastal areas with rich vegetation;
• Morsitans prefers savannah forests and savannahs;
• Fusca: found in a forest area.

On a note!

The tsetse fly is absent in Russia, the climate here is too cold for it.

Nutrition

Unlike other less exotic bloodsuckers, who need blood only to start the breeding function, in these African flies both sexes feed on blood.

A tsetse flies up to the victim silently and it is often impossible to notice it before the moment of attack. Because of this feature, the fly is called the “silent killer”. For the most part, tsetse attack large mammals, which is why they tried to fight it, destroying wild animals. Until it turned out that this insect does not really need mammals:

• Palpalis feeds on the blood of reptiles and humans, only occasionally attacking other mammals;
• Fusca prefers mammals, including humans and cattle;
• Morsitans has the broadest nutritional preferences, which include small birds, domestic animals, bovine mammals, warthogs and humans.

Two species from the last group also divide people into zones. One species bites in the face, the other on the legs.

At one meal, the insect drinks as much blood as it weighs, swelling twice. There is evidence that some species of flies tsetse is able to absorb blood twice its own weight.But then they certainly will not fly away.

Interesting!

Initially, the search for tsetse victims is carried out by thermal radiation, because of which they often attack the hoods of cars.

When approaching the victim, the fly "switches" to a search for the emitted carbon dioxide and acetone. Thanks to this feature, quite effective traps for tsetse flies were created. Sensing the prey, the insect becomes very aggressive and persistent. If she was only stunned, she would still try to get to the victim and bite. The aggressor is active only in the daytime.

From tsetse attacks, only zebras do not suffer, which are invisible to the fly due to their striped coloration.

Life cycle and reproduction

Life span adult female about six months. Tsetse mates only once during its life. These flies are viviparous. The female larva hatches for 1-2 weeks and lays only one at a time. Deferred fly larva immediately buried in moist soil and pupates. The female quickly hides in the shade, so as not to dry out. During its life, a female lays from 8 to 10 larvae.

Interesting!

Hatching from the pupa of the imago takes place in a few seconds, and after a minute the tsetse is ready to fly in search of a partner and food.

Than tsetse is dangerous to humans

This insect is dangerous not only for humans, but also for any other mammal that does not have immunity to the diseases carried by these bloodsuckers. Tsetse - do not belong to poisonous flies, but very often they are carriers of the causative agent of sleeping sickness trypanosomes. They can carry any other diseases that are transmitted through fly bite.

On a note!

Trypanosome is the simplest organism that causes parasitic disease in livestock and people. Of domestic animals, only Mosai ponies living in the Logone Valley are resistant to sleeping sickness.

Trypanosomes are of several types. Of these, two are dangerous for humans. The hosts of the infection are African antelopes, which the parasite does not do any harm. The bloodsucker absorbs the parasite along with the blood of the antelope. For tsetse trypanosomes are also harmless. These flies are carriers of the disease, but they themselves do not die.

The simplest parasite enters the human blood through the bite of a tsetse fly, which had previously drank the blood of an infected animal. Unlike wild African animals adapted to trypanosomiasis, in humans these parasites cause a dangerous disease, often leading to death.

Important!

Trypanosomiasis can also be transmitted by other blood-sucking insects living in the same area as tsetse.

On the African continent, two species of trypanosomes are dangerous for humans. One of them causes Gambian trypanosomiasis, which is common in West Africa and accounts for 95% of all sleeping sickness cases. The second is “responsible” for the occurrence of the rhodesian form endemic for East and South Africa and occurring in only 5% of the total number of trypanosomiasis diseases.

Symptoms

At the first stage of the development of the disease, joint pain, fever, itching, headache occur. These symptoms appear 1-3 weeks after being bitten by an infected insect and last several weeks or months.

If treatment measures are not taken, the second stage begins: coordination of movements is disturbed, consciousness is confused, the sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, numbness of the limbs occurs. If medical care has not been provided, the person falls into a coma, passing into death.

On a note!

Due to sleep disturbance, this disease is called "sleeping sickness."

Treatment

Quite effective methods of treating this disease have been developed. Medications effectively cope with the destruction of the pathogen, but do not yet satisfy the doctors, as they often give side effects.

Already created medicines during the program of free access of indigenous people to medical care allow predicting the almost complete disappearance of trypanosomiasis diseases by 2020. The wait is not long.