Platypus. Dung beetle. Pistol shrimp. The typical Swede. Yes, who said that the creator of life does not have a sense of humor? Then we must not forget “lipoptena cervi”, better known as the deer louse fly. It’s not big, but if we take a closer look, it can look both festive, sweet and humorous. But it isn’t. Far from. The deer louse fly is a blood-sucking parasite that prefers to play Dracula on roe deer, elk and deer. It is also not unknown that it attacks horses and cows as well. The deer louse fly is found all over Europe and northern parts of Asia. If you spot it, then. It is not a big crab. Photo: Anette Torjusen / news Attpål and unfortunately – for us humans – it can make a landing on precisely the species Homo sapiens where it will crawl around in hair and beards and perhaps sneak inside the clothes. In a suitable place – for it – it then puts its claws into you. This is how the bloodthirsty parasite will lead a paradisiacal existence. All the time that there is talk of the year of lemurs and tick season, perhaps one must be able to state that this year is the year of deer lice? In any case, you read and hear about people on walks in the forest who grab their legs and run home, with their bodies invaded by the bloodsucker. Or bloodsuckers. Dress in white – avoid bites – Yes, there is a lot of it now in some places, says Bjørnar Ytrehus, specialist in wildlife health at the Veterinary Institute. Then he adds: – An old hunter told me that before the most important thing he took with him on an elk hunt was his rifle. Now he definitely thinks it’s the comb. Bjørnar Ytrehus, specialist in wildlife health and senior researcher at the Veterinary Institute. Photo: Private – Is it possible to protect yourself from the deer louse fly? – If you are in the forest, it is recommended to wear light-colored clothing. The deer louse fly prefers and scouts for large, dark objects that it flies after and lands on. Such as elk or deer. – So maybe you can throw on a white sheet? – Yes, haha! That could be a solution. But then you can be mistaken for something else, answers Ytrehus. Although, the deer louse fly can also quickly be mistaken for something else. Doesn’t it look like most flies? Or what about the tick? How do you recognize the deer louse fly? – The fly looks a bit like a crab, and it also moves sideways. It is brown, small and leathery and a bit difficult to kill, says Ytrehus. Furthermore, he says that when the deer louse flies on its prey, it has wings. But after a while it sheds its wings. – This makes it different from all insects in Norway. After hatching in August – October, it flies and finds its prey. After finding a host, it sheds its wings. Photo: Rune Aae Soon to be found throughout Norway? The sometimes winged crab-like springtail’s vital measurements are stated to be 4.5 mm to 5 mm. The deer louse thrives in temperate areas of Europe, eastern Siberia and northern China. It has also been introduced to North America. This globetrotter of an insect then spread from Russia to Finland in the early 1960s before it was first detected in Norway in 1983. Then it sat on a moose near Halden. It has since spread. According to FHI, it was common in Østfold, Akershus and parts of Hedmark in 2006. From 2015 it also became common in Vestfold and south-eastern parts of Buskerud and Telemark. The total Norwegian distribution in 2022 includes the lowland areas in south-eastern Norway and coastal areas in southern Norway as well as a few finds in south-eastern Rogaland. The expansion, explains FHI, coincides with a massive increase in moose and deer from the 1960s. – When can it be expected to be across the country? – It is a bit difficult to say. We know it is moving steadily north in Finland. But in the far north it has poorer living conditions with shorter summers. It then becomes more difficult for it to develop from the pupal stage into an adult insect. It also depends on whether there are enough deer, answers Ytrehus. Not dangerous, but … The deer louse fly is flat and therefore crab-like. Head wider than long. The antennae are small and sit sunk in small pits. Oh! Photo: Berit Heggholmen / news On its legs it has powerful claws, or so-called brushes. The brushes are brown and sensible, and they take determined, brown steps. Yes, until it finds a suitable place. Then it grabs hold of the hair with the bristles. According to Ytrehus, it can be difficult to get out, and it has a strong survival instinct. – But is it dangerous for humans? – No. It disappears after a while. We do not know whether it is able to reproduce on humans. But we know it sticks. Some people may react with itching. Rashes, lumps in the skin, for up to a year. – Gulp! – But it is not as dangerous as the tick, which we know can carry many diseases. Meanwhile. The little rascal is not completely acquitted. It can bring with it some rudeness. – A bacterium called Bartonella schoenbuchensis. So we wonder if it can cause certain diseases. But we don’t know for sure. This is being researched, concludes Bjørnar Ytrehus. It is probably safest to find the ghost costume. Dressed for a forest walk? Well … Photo: news/Rune Lind / news
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Fears that the deer louse fly is becoming increasingly widespread in Norway – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
