Flies and Mosquitos: English Vocabulary List

a small insect commonly found near ripe or decaying fruits and vegetables

"Fruit flies are very small."

"The fruit fly is a common laboratory model organism because it reproduces quickly and has simple genetics."

a blood-sucking insect found in sub-Saharan Africa that transmits the parasite responsible for sleeping sickness

"Tsetse flies transmit sleeping sickness to humans and animals."

"The tsetse fly transmits sleeping sickness to humans and a similar disease to livestock across Africa."

a large biting fly that annoys and harasses animals, often provoking them to move or react through its persistent biting

"A gadfly bites the horse."

"The gadfly persistently annoys livestock by hovering around their eyes and ears to lay eggs."

a large fly characterized by its strong bite and preference for feeding on the blood of mammals

"The horsefly's painful bite leaves a small wound that continues to bleed."

"The female horsefly uses scissor like mouthparts to slice skin and feed on the blood of mammals."

a parasitic insect that lays its eggs on the skin of mammals

"Botfly larvae develop under the skin of mammals including humans."

"The botfly larva develops beneath the skin of its host creating a painful swelling with a breathing hole."

a type of fly characterized by its metallic coloration and its propensity for laying eggs on decaying organic matter

"The blowfly is metallic."

"The iridescent blowfly, with its metallic sheen, is often seen near decaying matter where it lays its eggs."

a small, grayish-black insect known for its rapid flight, buzzing sound, and ability to transmit diseases by contaminating food and surfaces

"The housefly buzzed around me."

"The housefly regurgitates digestive juices onto solid food to liquefy it before sucking up the nutrients."

a flying insect that bites people and animals and feeds on their blood

"A mosquito bit my arm."

"Mosquitoes are annoying in summer and can disturb sleep."

a very small dipteran fly that lives in swarms near water and bites animals or humans

"Swarming midges appear above water surfaces at dusk during summer."

"The tiny dipteran flies, known as midges, formed swarms near the water and began to bite the unsuspecting picnickers."

a flying insect with a soft body and a tail that shines in the dark

"A firefly glowed in the dark."

"Fireflies shine beautifully at night and attract attention easily."

a small green aphid that infests gardens and crops

"Greenfly suck sap from plants and excrete sticky honeydew on leaves."

"The greenfly is an aphid that sucks sap from plants and can reproduce rapidly without mating."

any slender insect of the Neuroptera order that has clear net wings, the larvae of which kill pests

"Lacewing larvae eat huge numbers of aphids and other soft-bodied pests."

"The lacewing larva is a voracious predator of aphids and is often used for biological pest control."