Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-23

farmers must have noticed how commonly
the eggs Of the bot are deposited on that
part Of a horses shoulder which he can never
reach with his mouth, and thus, to casual
observer, It would seem that they must per!
ish and fail in the object for which their
parent designed them Now there is pro-
vision Of nature that exactly countcracts
this difficulty
When horses are together in II pasture,
and one Of them feels an irritation on any
part Of the neck or shoulder which he can
not reach with his mouth, he will nibble an.
other horse in the corresponding part of his
neck or shoulder, and the horse so uibbed
will Immediately perform the kind Office re-
quired, and begin uibbling away in the place,
indicated. Horses when they become used
to this fly and find it does them no injury,
by singing or sucking their blood, hardly re-
gard it, and do not appear to be aware Of its
object. When the eggs have remained on
the hairs four or five days, they become ma
ture, after which time the slightest applica-
tion Of warmth and moisture is sufficient to
bring forth in an instant the latent larvae.
At this time If the lips or the tongue of the
horse touch the egg, its shell is thrown open
and the young larva liberated. This readily
adheresIto the moist surface of the tongue
aud is from thence conveyed with the food
to the stomach. The biting of other flies
frequently aid the propagation Of the bot by
causing the horse 10 nibble the irritation
they have caused. There is hardly one
larva in fifty that arrives safe in the stomach
Of the horse aud yet if we were to open
horse the stomach would often be found lit
orally full of them. They are of reddish
yellow, and each Of their segmcnts is armed
at the posterior edge with a double row of
triangular spines, large and small alternate
ly, yellow at the base and black at the
point, which is always turned backwards
The head is furnished with two hooks
which serve to fasten the larvae to the interi-
or coats of the stomach. The spines with
which the whole body is furnished contrib
ute to fix it more solidly, preventing the
creatures from being carried away by the
food as it goes through the process of digest
ion.
: These larvae are nourished by the mucus
) secreted by the stomach, and doubtless
breathe the air swallowed by the horse with
its food, having the power of suspending its
respiration, like frog, at its pleasure. II
must be acknowledged however that it must
| have a gaseous atmosphere, as many gases
are generated in the stomach of the horse
Arrived at a state of complete develop
) ment the Larvae lets 60 its hold and is carried
: with the food through the intestine! canal
: leaves it by the anal orifce, and on touching
5 the ground at once begins to go through its
metamorphoses The skin then thickens
i hardens and becomes black. All the organs
of the animal are composed Of whitisl
i pulp which soon assumes its destined form
and the insect becomes perfect. 1t then lift
l. lid at the anterior part Of its cocoon
y energies, dries its wings, and flies away.
As it may reasonably be supposed tina
c bots are injurious, to some extent, in thu
u horse in fine, that horse cannot be health,
l. when its stomach as some express it, is "ful
II of them" it would be well to make use of
s. simple and effectual preventative, that is, t
II remove or destroy the eggs. Many drug
: are recommended and in use to expel or xii
Is them, but you may rest assured any
l. thing that will injure them will be quite a
is likely to injure the horse
There is also the Gastrophitus hemor,
lie hoidalis, or red.tailed Bot fly, which is
Us much smaller species than the above, an
e much less common. This fly is of grayis
y blach color, with bright orange red tippe
Oh abdomen, which gives it its specific nam
= The Larvae have the same general habits an
Is are found in the same situations as the con
Sc mon bot, but they are smaller and white
le The pupe are deep red and change from tn
+ larva in two days after leaving the hors,
y In about two months the fly emerges frol
C. the pupa case and deposits its eggs. II
O. period of time during which this fly is fouu
H. is from June until cold weather. This
ng the fly by which the horse is often so muc
10 frightened.
G. When the first named species is deposi
S- ing its eggs on his legs he does not notice i
'l' presence, but let one of these red.tailed fiji
b. come near, aud they exhibit signs Of the u
s. most fear. This fly places its eggs upon tt
Ii lips of the horse, which is effected by dartir
e' suddenly forward and almost instantly iixir
IS, the eggs to the hair Notwithstanding Il
oil horse uses every means in his power to pr
re vent it. When horse is seen to stamp vi
DIS lently, throw his head up, down, and 81,
k ways with sudden motion, and run IN Il
nc pasture as if to get away from some pursue
z it is because Of the presence Of this fly.
es have seen horses exhibit such fear at d
at approach of one Of these little insects, tn
Gu it was almost impossible to hold or contr
nV them.
There are also two other species Of b
ess flies which trouble horses to some exter
rK' These are called GastrophiluS nuSalist al
Jus GastrophiluS pecOram. Their habits al
yes appearance are much like those of GaStrop
ian aus egui, but they are smaller and not 81
fciently numerous to cause much troub
ior From all these pests little care and attic
'oy ton, at the proper time, will keep the hOl
WI free.
lru Urging all farmers to use every availal
CIV rnaans and 10 use such mems In season n