Texas Nature Observations and Reminiscenses Page: 33
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TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 33
The photo herein shows the
thick and broad tongue and the
long, sharp and dagger-like sting,
of which the central dagger is
most prominent and w ith which
it had per''orated the wasp's albdo-
x l Io11
P HtOTON\ ICR(GR H H OII F TH E OFTHPA'T I()lHPII':1 , > rlF
THE II17MI'HACK- PiRAIRIE FLIY.
men. The stinging apparatus
of the horsefly is of nearly the
same anatomical structure, but
it has even bolder daggers, with
which it mercilessly tortures the
horses as well as all kindsi -:. I- 1 sr :I{ t.I ts
Slizhtiy IZieduced)
of cattle. They scarify the skin
and bore do wn to the blood
capillaries until blood oozes in
streams from i the wound.
Our prairies also harbor among
other such vituperous flv species
a very large, jet 1,' r k fiy, aboutthe size of ,a cockroach. It, however,
is not as numerous and otherwise
conspicuous as this fly and the
common prairie cattle or horsefly,
but it occasionally attacks cattle
and horses, and it is supplied
with a nuimier of fearful looking
knives and daggers at its mouth
parts, and which the insect plunges
into the hile of the cattle, causing
the blood to ooze freely from the
large scarified wounds.
Having captured one such fly
during an outing in Medina County
some time ago, I prepared a
photo-micrograph of the stinging
implements of the fly, showing
a number of sharp-edged knives
or lancets and dagger-like cutting
implements, with a main central
suction tube with which this insect
aspirates the oozing blood of ani-
Ials, after scarifying the skin
with the other sharp instruments
which resemble those of our corn-
mon prairie horsefly.
The original micro-photo of this
fly shows the mouth, stinging and
suction implements magnified about
fifty times by means of the photo-
micrographic apparatus and con-
centrated lamplight exposure.
Some vicious species of wasps and
the vituperous bumble-bee and nu-
mnerous other prairie insects show\INGING IMI'LE EN\TS OF A LI.ANGE, ICIO)S
e NAmI E Fr1 .
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Menger, R. Texas Nature Observations and Reminiscenses, book, 1913; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143558/m1/37/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.