Black flies probably aren't your favourite insect because, well, they bite! They are blood suckers whose presence can certainly ruin your perfect outdoor vacation.
There are over 1,250 species of black flies around the world and at least 110 in Canada. They love northern wooded areas and their swarms can reach enormous sizes in spring and early summer. When looking for a meal, they will fly up to 10 miles from their breeding sites, but with the help of the wind they can fly even farther. Their average lifespan is about three weeks and there can be up to four generations per year!
The question is, how do we know so much about these tiny bugs that drive people crazy? Well, it's thanks to people like Dr. Doug Currie! He is an entomology curator for the Royal Ontario Museum, which means his job is to study insects, especially black flies. Dr. Doug Currie has traveled from Canada all the way to eastern Siberia to learn all about, you guessed it, black flies! Take a look at this video to see some of the cool stuff he's learned and maybe be inspired to find out more about insects. Who knows you could be the next entomologist just like Dr. Doug Currie!
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