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πŸͺ° Flies

New Zealand Sandfly

Austrosimulium ungulatum

About

A small black fly endemic to New Zealand that inflicts painful bites, particularly notorious in the South Island's West Coast and Fiordland regions. Despite being called sandflies locally, they are actually black flies in the family Simuliidae. They breed in fast-flowing rivers and streams.

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Did You Know?

Maori legend says the sandfly was created by the goddess Hine-nui-te-po to prevent humans from lingering too long in the beautiful Fiordlands.