​23 Blood-Sucking Fly Species Found in Andamans

In January 2025, the Zoological Survey of India informed that 23 species of blood-sucking flies were identified in a study in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with 13 species recorded for the first time in India, some of which transmit dangerous livestock diseases.

• These flies, similar in appearance to mosquitoes, are part of the Culicoides genus, commonly known as "bhusi flies," and are closely related to mosquitoes in their feeding habits.
• The flies are known to feed on the blood of livestock such as goats, sheep, and cattle, as well as wild animals like deer, posing a potential risk ....