Larvae Take Up Residence on Man's Head

[snopes]

One doctor thought the bleeding, strange bumps on Aaron Dallas' head might have been a gnat bite. A specialist thought it was shingles, though both doctors held out the possibility that it was something far more disturbing. Then the bumps started moving.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070718/D8QEMHL80.html

That's a scry thing. How do they get those things out of you when you're infected with them?

- Pseudo_Croat

[Amigone201]

Damn, I clicked on it thinking there would be pictures. There weren't.

[mags]

Spence said bot fly infections are fairly routine in parts of Central and South America.

*Scratches head and vows never to visit Central or South America*

[Latiam]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

Damn, I clicked on it thinking there would be pictures. There weren't.

Ask and ye shall receive:
Two bot fly removals: video

Also:

One removed from a head.

Finally, I like this one, in which the first half is hook worms and the next half is a bot fly, which the guy finds humorous.

[inkrose115]

Humans can get the botflies out. Pity the poor animals who can't get them out,a nd may even die from being so infested with them.

[Latiam]

Originally Posted by inkrose115

Humans can get the botflies out. Pity the poor animals who can't get them out,a nd may even die from being so infested with them.

Well, no. They fall to the ground once they are done their larval stage. They pupate into flies in the earth. A parasite that kills its host is not going to last, evolutionarily speaking. And yes, I know evolutionarily is probably not a word.
Sick as they look, I doubt they would do a cow any long lasting harm.

[inkrose115]

Originally Posted by Latiam

Well, no. They fall to the ground once they are done their larval stage. They pupate into flies in the earth. A parasite that kills its host is not going to last, evolutionarily speaking. And yes, I know evolutionarily is probably not a word.
Sick as they look, I doubt they would do a cow any long lasting harm.

Technically, this is true. The flys are fairly harmless, and evolution favors parasites that don't kill their host (at least until they're done with it). Anyone ever read Jerry's Maggot, by the way? But I was reading an article in Natural History which discussed how monkeys can become so loaded down with the parasites (specifically bot flies) it can mean the difference between life and death. I would have to check the article to read why exactly. Horse bot flies are not usually dangerous, but they can kill the animal if it is already weak. And they have been linked to colic, which can also be fatal.

Originally Posted by Latiam

Ask and ye shall receive:
Two bot fly removals: video

Ooh that was brilliantly icky! Thanks, I loved it!

[Latiam]

Originally Posted by inkrose115

Technically, this is true. The flys are fairly harmless, and evolution favors parasites that don't kill their host (at least until they're done with it). Anyone ever read Jerry's Maggot, by the way? But I was reading an article in Natural History which discussed how monkeys can become so loaded down with the parasites (specifically bot flies) it can mean the difference between life and death. I would have to check the article to read why exactly. Horse bot flies are not usually dangerous, but they can kill the animal if it is already weak. And they have been linked to colic, which can also be fatal.

Could that be part of nature weeding out the sick, and those loaded with parasites? I know there's a female fish that will mate with the male with the brightest tail, and when the fish is sick or has parasites, the tail isn't as bright, so one with a bright tail is healthy. It was mentioned in my social psych class. That being said, I was under the impression that bot flies were intended to infest larger animals than monkeys. Unless we're talking orangutangs and gorillas.

Originally Posted by Neffti

Ooh that was brilliantly icky! Thanks, I loved it!

My pleasure. You're almost disappointed when it's over, aren't you?

Originally Posted by Latiam

You're almost disappointed when it's over, aren't you?

You read my mind! What was behind the other piece of gaffer tape? Why have they taken him to a wilderness with a large marquee to take them out? Why, why, why?

And I agree with one of the comments posted - does it leave an almighty hole in your flesh?!

I couldn't access the bot-fly in the head one but assume it's one I've seen before of a British woman who found a lump after returning from holiday?

[Latiam]

Originally Posted by Neffti

You read my mind! What was behind the other piece of gaffer tape? Why have they taken him to a wilderness with a large marquee to take them out? Why, why, why?

And I agree with one of the comments posted - does it leave an almighty hole in your flesh?!

I couldn't access the bot-fly in the head one but assume it's one I've seen before of a British woman who found a lump after returning from holiday?

Yes it is.
As near as I can guess, they're camping. And there appeared to be at least one other bot fly behind the other piece of tape; you hear them talking about it before the tape cuts out.
I'd guess he came back and they set out camping without realizing what was going on. He's bloody lucky they had tweezers with them. Probably in the first aid kit.

TMI TMI TMI TMI TMI

When I was younger I had part of the tip of my finger basically blown out by being hit between two bowling balls. It was drawn back in gradually by my body. When I asked the nurses what would have happened if it had been detached they said it would have been fine. I'm sure the tissue regenerates. These people don't walk around with holes for life!

[inkrose115]

Originally Posted by Latiam

Could that be part of nature weeding out the sick, and those loaded with parasites? I know there's a female fish that will mate with the male with the brightest tail, and when the fish is sick or has parasites, the tail isn't as bright, so one with a bright tail is healthy. It was mentioned in my social psych class. That being said, I was under the impression that bot flies were intended to infest larger animals than monkeys. Unless we're talking orangutangs and gorillas.

It is a species of botfly which has only one host - Howler Monkeys. I found a site that lists the article I read.

A more complete account of the higher death rates probably goes something like this: The immune system of a howler monkey in good physical condition appears able to limit the number of larvae that can establish themselves at any one time. But howler monkeys in poor condition seem in jeopardy. Repeated attacks by bot fly larvae may exhaust the howler monkeys' fat reserves, which would normally carry them through the annual food shortages. Immature or fat-depleted hosts would be particularly at risk; combined with the stresses of cool, wet weather and low-quality food, many such monkeys would die.

Our data on infestation and mortality, as well as similar accounts of other bot fly-host interactions, suggest that populations of howler monkeys and their bot flies swing up and down like many other populations of predators and their prey. When the howler monkeys increase in number, all else being equal, the density of the howler-monkey bot flies increases as well. At times, though, the bot flies escalate their numbers out of proportion to their hosts. That leads to the deaths of so many howler monkeys that their population drops. But here the bot flies pay for their violation of the "prudent parasite" rule. They die off for lack of hosts. Hence the infestation rate drops, and the howler monkey population gradually recovers.

[justusfour]

Originally Posted by mags

*Scratches head and vows never to visit Central or South America*

Ditto to that. We had thought about Belize for our anniversary, but not so much now...bleh.

[inkrose115]

Originally Posted by justusfour

Ditto to that. We had thought about Belize for our anniversary, but not so much now...bleh.

I want a botfly so I can name it Jerry too!

[PallasAthena]

I may regret saying this since I do travel to South America fairly regularly, but as freaky as it is, I think it might be pretty cool to get a bot fly just once. But maybe I'm just a freak.

That video of the removal was awesome! I found myself cheering along and shouting "Sqeeze it! Squeeze it!" when she started pulling the thing out. Wild!