photo by 크리쓰 (Flicker Creative Commons)
Bites caused by Blanford flies – a regional species of black fly in the UK – are on the rise this summer, with human activity and hot weather taking the blame.
One factor contributing to the rise in black fly bites in the Norwich area of England include the large amount of water features being built in British gardens, which facilitate the flies’ reproduction in suburban areas.
From a report in the Telegraph:
Experts blamed the recent warm and humid [weather] which has made insects, including horseflies, mosquitoes and midges, more active, particularly in the evening.
People are also spending more time outdoors in the warm weather, increasing their likelihood of being bitten. Blanford fly bites are particularly nasty and can become infected.
From an article in Metro:
They only fly a few centimetres from the ground, so it’s the leg they normally go for. In a worst-case post-bite scenario, you could be left with the bacterial infection known as cellulitis, which can result in blisters the size of golf balls. […] Victims can also be left with flu-like symptoms and huge amounts of pain around the bite site.
If temperatures continue to rise as they are predicted to and the trend for pretty fountains and fish ponds continues, Britons can expect more warm weather pests to go with their balmy summer evenings.
