# Mouse Bot Fly (*Cuterebra fontinella*)

The Mouse Bot Fly is a special insect that lays its eggs on small mammals. When the eggs hatch, the tiny larvae find a cozy home inside the host animal, which is a unique way to grow up!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Mouse Bot Fly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cuterebra_fontinella.jpg&width=800)

Photo: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cuterebra_fontinella.jpg)

## Appearance

The Mouse Bot Fly is a stout, hairy insect resembling a bumblebee. Its dark body is covered in dense black and sometimes yellow or orange bristles. Large dark eyes stand out, making it look quite distinct.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Diptera
- **Family:** Oestridae
- **Genus:** Cuterebra

## Interesting facts

- Adult Mouse Bot Flies have no mouthparts and cannot eat!
- An adult fly lives for only about a week, focusing just on laying eggs!
- Their larvae breathe through a small hole they make in their host's skin!
- These furry flies often look like bumblebees but they are harmless to humans!

## Special abilities

- **Target Tracker:** Mouse Bot Fly can find and lay eggs near small mammal burrows because of its keen sense of smell that helps ensure larvae find a host.
- **Undercover Invader:** Mouse Bot Fly has larvae that develop safely under a host's skin that helps them feed and grow protected from outside dangers.
- **Energy Hoarder:** Mouse Bot Fly adults don't eat because they store enough energy as larvae, which helps them focus solely on mating and egg-laying.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 20-35 mm
- **Size:** 10-18 mm
- **Lifespan:** 5-10 days
- **Flight Speed:** 20-30 km/h
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Adults don't eat, but larvae feed on the tissues and fluids of small animals.

- **Age differences:** Adults do not feed; larvae parasitize small mammals.
- **Primary Foods:** Blood, Lymph, Tissue fluids

## Ecological connections

- **Parasitizes:** [White-footed mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-footed-mouse) (*Peromyscus leucopus*) — larvae develop beneath its skin
- **Parasitizes:** Meadow vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — a common host for the larvae
- **Eats:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — adult flies are a food source

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
- [Parasitic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/parasitic): This trait describes organisms that live on or in a host organism, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

It's best to watch insects from a distance and not touch them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Mouse Bot Fly?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Mouse Bot Fly's wingspan?

20-35 mm

### How big is Mouse Bot Fly?

10-18 mm

### How long does Mouse Bot Fly live?

5-10 days

### How fast can Mouse Bot Fly fly?

20-30 km/h

### What does Mouse Bot Fly eat?

Adults don't eat, but larvae feed on the tissues and fluids of small animals.

### Where is Mouse Bot Fly usually found?

Grasslands

### How many legs does Mouse Bot Fly have?

6

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Mouse Bot Fly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mouse-bot-fly)