Ceratopogonidae

family

“Biting Midges”, “Biting Midge”, “Midgies”, “Sandy Fly”, “Punkies”, “Midgie”, “Biting Midgie”, “No-See-Um”, “Midge”, “Midges”, “Biting Midgies”, “No-See-Ums”, “Punkie”, “Sandy Flies”, “Sandfly”, “Sandflies”

On the Web

On Wikipedia

Ceratopogonidae is a family of flies commonly known as no-see-ums, or biting midges, generally 1–3 mm in length. The family includes more than 5,000 species, distributed worldwide, apart from the Antarctic and the Arctic. Ceratopogonidae are holometabolous, meaning their development includes four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and imago or adult. Most common species in warmer climates will take about two to six weeks to complete a life cycle. Both adult males and females feed on nectar. Most females also feed on the blood of vertebrates, including humans, to get protein for egg-laying. Their bites are painful, and can cause intensely itchy lesions. Their mouthparts are well-developed for cutting the skin of its host. Some species prey on other insects. Larvae need moisture to develop,…