Stable Fly
Stomoxys calcitrans
At Mesquite Wash, Maricopoa Co., Arizona. 26 Sept., 2015.
Muscidae -- House Fly Family
Thanks to the migration and commerce of people this insect of Eurasia has found its way to much of the world. No doubt these flies were common in cattle and horse ranches that were established in Sonoran Desert riparian zones. Even after the cattle have been relocated these flies may continue to breed in mats of rotting vegetation and algae that collect in the stream channels.
The adult flies are biters that resemble ordinary houseflies until they sink their sharp proboscis into exposed thighs of hikers. The specimen here was swatted after attempting to bite. Stable fly has been reported as a possible vector of disease including