Animal Species:Biting midges
So tiny that they often go unobserved, biting midges are the smallest of the blood-sucking flies.
Alternative Name/s
Sand flies, Biting gnats, No-see-ums, Punkies
Size range
0.5 mm
Distribution
Biting midges are found throughout Australia.
Habitat
Biting midges live around freshwater creeks, intertidal estuaries and mangroves.
Feeding and Diet
As with mosquitoes and most biting flies, it is only the females that bite as they need blood to produce the next generation. The males feed on nectar. Victims are usually unaware of the fly's presence until it has already started to feed.
Classification
- Family:
- Ceratopogonidae
- Order:
- Diptera
- Class:
- Insecta
- Subphylum:
- Uniramia
- Phylum:
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Last Updated:
Tags flies, insects, arthropods, invertebrates, identification, wildlife of sydney, bites,