PICTURESET 'ZOOLOGY' NO. 809 ON FIRSTBOND (12 pcs)

Frontal view of the head of the ca. 2mm long fly, which swarms around ripe fruit in summer. Because of the giant chromosomes that are found in its larva and the frequent occurence of natural mutations, fruit flies are a favorite object of genetic study.

Mosquitos are common all over the world (approx. 2900 species). If at all, only the females suck blood. Aedes live very closely with people. When the skin is punctured, salivary secretions are released, which can transmit pathogens, e. g. filaria, dengue fever, yellow fever. If a female sucks up blood infected with yellow fever, for example, the pathogen multiplies in the cloak and new hosts can be infected within 4 days.

Portrait of a third stage larvae. The second of three larval stages of this fly species can be used to treat poorly healing, necrotizing wounds when other treatments fail. This applies in particular to for osteomyelitis, gangrene, ulcers caused by venostasis and mastoiditis. The sterile larvae are placed on the wounds and eliminate rotting, pus-stricken and already dead tissue. The healthy tissue is left completely in peace. The movement of the larvae and their metabolic products cleans the wound and stimulates wound healing. This method has been documented since the Middle Ages and is gaining importance with increasing antibiotic resistance.

L. Destructor is a widespread stock mite. Mites belong to the arachnids and, unlike insects, have 4 pairs of legs. Plum mites grow up to 0.75 mm in size and feed on moulds, flour and rice. They thrive optimally at 25 ºC and high humidity. Also stock mites can be the cause of allergies.

Fleas are blood-sucking insects. The species found in cats and dogs also occasionally affect humans, but after a few stings they abandon this false host. They can transmit pathogens, e. g.: Rickettsias (bacteria) or tapeworms. The breeding place of cat fleas is usually the sleeping place of the affected cat (dog).

Ticks are blood-sucking mites. Their warm-blooded host animals (such as humans) they take away by shocks and their sense of smell. If a host seams, they drop from grass or bushes onto their victims, look for a warm, thin-skinned spot and drill their mouth parts into the host. The sucking process can take several days, the ticks absorb up to 200 times their body weight in blood. This can lead to the transmission of diseases (piroplasmosis, tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease). The picture shows an adult animal with head part in frontal view.

Flöhe sind blutsaugende Insekten. Die Männchen des Katzenflohs sind ca. 1mm, die Weibchen 2 bis 3 mm groß. Brutplatz der Katzenflöhe ist meist der Schlafplatz der befallenen Tiere. Dort entwickeln sich die Larven, die sich von organischem Material ernähren. Erst nach der letzten Häutung wechseln sie auf den Wirt, wo sie bis zu drei Monaten leben. Die bei Katzen und Hunden vorkommenden Arten gehen zeitweilig auch auf den Menschen, lassen aber nach einigen Stichen von diesem falschen Wirt ab.

Wie andere Mitglieder der Taufliegen-Familie, ist Drosophila suzukii klein, etwa 2 bis 3,5 mm in der Länge. Die Art gilt in der Landwirtschaft als SchAuml;dling, da sie die reifenden Früchte von Kirschen, Heidelbeeren, Himbeeren, Brombeeren, Pfirsichen, Pflaumen, Nektarinen, Aprikosen, Trauben und anderen schädigt. Durch ihre enorm schnelle Vermehrung können große Schäden verursacht werden. Der kurze Generationszyklus der Kirschessigfliege macht sie zu einem mit heutigen Insektiziden schwer bekämpfbaren Insekt.