Blackfly Vernacular Names.
These are the names given to blackflies (Simuliidae) in local languages.

Compiled by John B. Davies
(based on the list published in Studia dipterologia Supplement 44 (2006) 129-135)

The local language names given below have been collected from published work and from personal accounts provided by colleagues.

The sources are acknowledged in the Refs column using the initials of the contributor (e.g. Mc C) or by number for published work (e.g. 23). The list can be accessed by clicking on the Refs heading. Notes relating to vernacular names (e.g. #p or [a]) can be accessed by clicking on the Name heading

To search the list choose a geographical area or country from the list below. Alternatively you can search the lists by using the "Find" facility of your browser.

If you know of a name that is not on this list, please send details and any other comments to the author by clicking on this link

Africa, Central

Africa, East

Africa, West

Americas

Atlantic

Asia & Russia

New Zealand & Tasmania

Pacific Islands

Worldwide  by language

Central Europe

Northern Europe

 
Amazonia Argentina Armenia  
Belize Brazil British Isles Burkina Faso
Canada Chile Costa Rica Cuba
Finland      
Germany Ghana Guyana Guinea, Equitorial
Hungary      

Iceland

 India Italy  
Kenya      
Latvia Lithuania    
Madagascar Malawi     Mali Marquesas Mexico
New Zealand Nigeria Norway  
Pakistan Philippines    
Russia      
S. America, S. Cone Sierra Leone St. Helena Sudan
Serbia Sweden    
Tanzania Tasmania Thailand Togo
Uganda U.S.A    
Venezuela      
       

Main List

Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs.
WEST AFRICA          
Burkina Faso   musomusoninn Dioula S. damnosum s.l HH,   52
Ghana   nukotia Twi general mb RAC
Ghana   evoe Ewe general mb RAC
Ghana   kobi-kobi Ga general mb RAC
Mali also Burkina Faso merente Bambara S. damnosum s.l HH,  52
Nigeria Benue, Manor abunbu Tiv S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Abuja Emirate akirindi Gwandara S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Abuja Emirate akurundi Koro S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Gwagwalida angabu Bassa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Izom, Gwachipe bopi or bopwi Gwari S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Lafiagi, Kataeregi bumpu Gwari S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Abuja bumpwi Gwari S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Benue, Uke bumpwi Gwari S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Abuja cikwibi [a] Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Adamawa, Kogin Baba dori Chamba S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Adamawa, Serti filfiluwa Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger/Sokoto, Zema filfiluwa Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Kabba, Ogugu ita Gara S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Izom, Bwari kurukundi Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Kagara, Kusheriki, Tegina kurukundu Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Zungeru kurukuru Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Zaria, Kudaru, Saminaka kuskuru Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Benue, Katsina Ala kyowa Tiv S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Sokoto, Zema, luntulumu Bangawa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Lafiagi, Ebba, Kutiwenji makurgi Nupe S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Adamawa, Serti, Beli mukwai Fulani S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Niger, Abuja, Izom, Madalla shakwibi [a] Hausa S. damnosum s.l. 1
Nigeria Benue, Takum yandori Jukun S. damnosum s.l. 1
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
Sierra Leone   mawi #s, morwesia #p Mende S. damnosum s.l. JBD
Sierra Leone   mooli or mooyee Konno S. damnosum s.l. 36
Sierra Leone   mapus Timne S. damnosum s.l. 36
Sierra Leone   poondee gootona [ab] Lokkoh S. damnosum s.l. 36
Sierra Leone   koondee Susu S. damnosum s.l. 36
Sierra Leone   mootec Mandingo S. damnosum s.l. 36
Togo   abuwé Tem S. damnosum s.l. HH,   52
Togo   dibidé Tem S. damnosum s.l. HH,   52
Togo   ebuude, abuwee Kabiyé S. damnosum s.l. HH,   53
Togo   vuuvuuravur Nawvm S. damnosum s.l. HH,   53
           
CENTRAL AFRICA          
Equatorial Guinea Bioko, mut-mut   S. damnosum s.l. RAC
Equatorial Guinea Bioko, mutu-mutu   S. damnosum s.l. RAC
Sudan Southern, amberago-tanga Farogi S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Southern, azire dupo [b] Zande S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Southern, jor Ballanda S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Abu Hamed, kunteb   S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Southern, Wan Alel makwajagang Dinka S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Southern, Mvolo matingaling   S. damnosum s.l. 6
Sudan Southern, Dongola nemettigui Dongola S. griseicolle 24 [o]
Sudan Southern, Dongola nemittaminga Mahass S. griseicolle 24 [o]
Sudan Southern, Dongola nimitti [c]   S. griseicolle [c] 2
Sudan Southern, tudu Ndogo S. damnosum s.l. 2
Sudan Southern, Raga turluk   S. damnosum s.l. 2
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
EAST AFRICA          
Kenya   kekonjek Lumbwa S. neavei 37
Madagascar   mouka-fouhi [d] Malagasy S. neireti 5
Malawi Thyolo, chipweta Chichewa S. damnosum s.l. JBD
Malawi Thyolo Thyolo fly or Tea fly English S. damnosum s.l.  
Tanzania Usambara Mountains usubi Swahili general mb. JR
Tanzania Usambara Mountains usinye Shambaa general mb JR
Uganda Jinja, R. Nile Jinja fly English S. damnosum t.f. 7
Uganda   nzi mbwa Swahili S. damnosum s.l. Mc C
Uganda Jinja, Ripon Falls mbwa Swahili S. damnosum s.l. 50
Uganda Moyo & Adjumani Districts Logurutumwi

Madi/Swahil

 S. damnosum s.l. RP & RD [ao]
AMERICAS          
Cuba Pinar del Rio rodador #s, rodadores #p[ah] Spanish S. quadrivittatum GGG
Cuba   roedor #s, roedores #p[ai] Spanish S. quadrivittatum GGG
Costa Rica   boccon (es) Spanish   DMW
Belize General in uplands batlas   S. quadrivittatum 3
Belize General in uplands batlas   S. metallicum s.l. 3
Belize General in uplands botlass     SS, 52
Mexico Oaxaca state, biuxinisa #s [f] Zapoteca S. biuxinisa 21
Mexico   jejenes #p Spanish general mb 15
Mexico   moscas negras #p Spanish general mb 15
Mexico   rodadores #p Spanish general mb 15
Mexico   tabarillos #p Spanish general mb 15
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
Canada   piihkus Naskapi Simuliids mb 35
Canada Ontario, Algonquin Park pikoseesee Cree? Simuliids mb PB
Canada Quebec, mouche noir French any pest species 42
Canada British Columbia, Vancouver Is. river leech English S. hippovorum [ag] 42
Canada Manitoba & Saskatchewan, prairies striped black fly English S. vittatum comp. 42
Canada Saskatchewan, central swamp fly English S. vampirum 42
Canada & U.S.A.   black gnat English any pest species 42
U.S.A Alaska white socks English S. venustum? MLS, 42
U.S.A   buffalo-gnat [g] English S. meridionale 42, 9
U.S.A Maine, reed smut [l] English   AP, 41
U.S.A North East, Adirondack Mts. Adirondack black fly English P. mixtum, S. venustum 42
U.S.A NW Territories, Nunavut Barren Lands black fly English S. venustum? 42
U.S.A New York State, Ithaca blood-sucker English S. innoxium [ad] 42
U.S.A Rhode Island, buckie fly English P. mixtum [ae] 42
U.S.A Florida, bull fly English S. meridionale 42
U.S.A Virginia, cholera gnat English S. parmatum & jenningsi [af] 42
U.S.A Mississippi River basin, goose gnat English S. meridionale 42
U.S.A   humpbacked gnat English any species 42
U.S.A Maine, NE. Pennsylvania, may fly English P. mixtum, S. venustum 42
U.S.A widespread, W. Canada sand fly English   42
U.S.A Western, yellow gnat English P. fulvum 42
U.S.A. S.E. States, turkey gnat English S. meridionale & others 9
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú benti #s Suiá Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rios Aripuana & Madeira casaca de couro [y] Portuguese Kempfsimulium simplicicolor 34
Brazil Rondônia State, Upper Rio Madeira catéga [w] Kempfsimulium simplicicolor 34
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú ejónte #s Mehinaku Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú ejú #s Ualapiti Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú exónte #s Waura Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú ipium #s Aueti Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Rondônia State, Upper Río Madeira mikum #s Suruí Simuliids mb [x] VP-D
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú nipium #s Kamaiura Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Amapá State, Río Amapari piju #s Wayampi, Amapari Simuliids mb 31
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú pióto #s Trumai Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú potáluri #s Matipú Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú tsotalúri #s Kuikuro (Nahuôto) Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Rio Xingú tsotalúri #s Kalapalo Simuliids mb 33
Brazil Roraima State, Upper Río Uraricoera basin ukuxi #s, ukuxipi #p Yanomami Simuliids mb 30
Brazil Mato Grosso State, Upper Rio Tapajós basin xiualô #s Ariti Simuliids mb 32
Brazil Pará State, ahepó #s Apiacá S. incrustatum, S. amazonicum gp. 29
Brazil Southern, borrachudo #s Portuguese   9
Brazil   borrachudos #p Portuguese general mb 19
Brazil Pará State, iepsô #s Mundurucu S. incrustatum, S. amazonicum gp. 29
Brazil Amazonas State, Upper Río Negro basin parêto #s Yanomami S. oyapockense, S. guianense, S. incrustatum VP-D
Brazil Northern, pium #s Tupy Simuliids mb 28
Brazil   piuns #p Amerindian Simuliids mb 19
Brazil Pará State, R. Tapajós upió #s Maué S. incrustatum, S. amazonicum gp. 29
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
Amazonia   pium #s, piuns #p Amerindian S. amazonicum group 9
Argentina Arica, jerjeles #p Spanish S. escomeli & others 13
Argentina   mosco rubio #s Spanish general 14 [n]
Chile Taitao Peninsula, polco local general mb 18
Guyana Rupununi, caboura fly #s English general mb 16
Guyana Essequibo, cabouri Arawak Simuliids mb 23
Guyana   cabouri old Arawak   23
Guyana Essequibo, Apoteri cabowra Amerindian S. haematopotum 22
Guyana Essequibo, Apoteri itan Amerindian S. sanguineum 22
Guyana Rupununi, Rs. Rupununi & Essequibo itanimi Amerindian S. guianense s.l. 22, 23
Guyana   itanimi Amerindian S. guianense s.l. 22
Guyana   kabowra English Simuliids mb JBD
Guyana Rupununi, Rs. Rupununi & Essequibo pium #s Amerindian S. amazonicum 22, 23
S. Cone [am]   jejenes #p Spanish general [e] 14
S. Cone [am]   jerjeles #p Spanish general [e] 14
S. Cone [am]   mbariguis #p Spanish general [e] 14
S. Cone [am]   pequitas #p Spanish general [e] 14
S. Cone [am]   petros #p Spanish general [e] 14
Spanish   jejenes #p Spanish general mb 17
Spanish   mosquitos pelones #p Spanish   20
Venezuela R. Orinoco, moschettos #p Spanish   9 [m]
Venezuela Amazonia, peti Yanomami S. guianense M-GB
Venezuela Amazonia, warabokoshe Yanomami S. bipunctatum M-GB
Venezuela   alazanes #p Spanish general mb 17
Venezuela   mosquitos negritos #p Spanish general mb 17
Spanish   jejen #s' jejenes #p [k] Spanish   9
Spanish   simulido #s, simulideos #p Spanish   9
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
ATLANTIC          
Iceland General, mainly north bitmy #s [s] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
Iceland General, mainly north bitvargur #s [r] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
Iceland North, River Laxa fluga #s [s] Icelandic S. vittatum & other  
Iceland General, mainly north my #s [p] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
Iceland General, mainly north myg #s [q] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
Iceland General, mainly north myvargur #s [r] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
Iceland North, River Laxa paeluvargur #s [s] Icelandic S. vittatum & other GMG
Iceland North, River Laxa vargfluga #s [s] Icelandic S. vittatum & other GMG
Iceland North, River Laxa vargur #s [s] Icelandic S. vittatum & other GMG
Iceland General, mainly north vatzmý #s [q] Icelandic S. vittatum & other 25, 26
St. Helena Widespread mint-flies #p [nmb][ah] English S. loveridgei 43
           
ASIA & RUSSIA          
Armenia   mzhegh Armenian Simuliids mb DW
Burma nr Toungoo, mwachi fly #s     11
India Darjeeling, bhusuna   S. indicum & others 10
India Widespread, blackflies #p English Simuliids mb 10
India N &NE, dimdam   S. indicum & others 10
India Himalayas, potu Hindustani S. indicum 11, 12
India Arunachal Pradesh, N. Lakhimpur dam dim   Simuliidae 11
India Aka Hills, dam-dim   S. indicum 11
India Aka Hills, damdum   S. indicum 11
India   dimdam   Simuliidae 11
India   dimdams   S. indicum 11
India Aka Hills, pepsi   S. indicum 11
India W. Himalayas, phisho Balti S. indicum 12
India W. Himalayas, phisniari Pehari S. indicum 12
India Himalaya, pipsa   Simuliidae 11
India Sikkim, pipsa   Simuliidae 11
Pakistan Chilas, moi Shina Simuliidae 11
Russia   gnus Russian Simuliids & other biters [v]
Russia Siberia, Altai mountains mokriza #p Russian   27[t]
Russia   moshka #s, moshki #p Russian   9
Russia Volga, Kazan to Kamgshin moshkara #p Russian   27 [t]
Thailand Inthanon area, kuns   Simuliidae 11
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs
NEW ZEALAND & TASMANIA          
New Zealand General te namu #s #p Maori Austrosimulium spp 49
New Zealand General, sandflies #p     4
New Zealand   sandflies [h] English   9
Tasmania General, sandflies #p     4
           
PACIFIC ISLANDS          
Widespread   no-no #s General   ML
Marquesas Nuka - Hiva, Taipivai Valley no-no or nau-nau Polynesian S. buissoni 9
Philippines   nek nek Tagalog    
           
WORLDWIDE          
English   blackfly #s English   9
English   black-fly #s English   9
English   simuliid [i] English   9
French   simulie #s [j] French   9
Spanish   jejen #s' jejenes #p [k] Spanish   9
Spanish   simulido #s, simulideos #p Spanish   9

 

 

        

 
Country Area Name Language Species Name Refs

CENTRAL EUROPE

          
Brit Isles Scotland, Highlands birch flies #p English "S. reptans" & others

8
Brit Isles England, Dorset Blandford Fly #s English S. posticatum

9
Brit Isles Scotland, Wester Ross càsan tàrtan [ac] Gaelic  

Mc C
Brit. Isles England & Scotland reed smut #s [l] English  

9
Brit. Isles England, Oxfordshire Stonesfield stinger English S. posticatum

44
Brit. Isles England, Oxfordshire Woodstock Fly English S. posticatum

44
Brit. Isles Central England Watercress Fly [an] English

Simuliids [an]

9, 51
Germany   Kriebelmücke #s -n#p [n] German  

9
Italy Trentino/Alto Adige, Adige Valley musolino #s -i #p Italian dialect Simuliids mb

39
Latvia   knisilis #s, -li #p Latvian Simuliids

RB, VS
Lithuania   mashalas #s, -ai #p Lithuanian Simuliids

RB
Lithuania South musele #s, -es #p Lithuanian S. maculatum

RB
Serbia R.Danube, Banat Bannatischermücke German S. colmbaschense

27 [t]
Serbia R.Danube, Golubatz Kolumbatischermücke German S. colmbaschense

27 [t]
Serbia Novi Sad klintonka #s, -e#p [aj] Serbian S. erythrocephalum

40 AC
Serbia Novi Sad natovka #s, -e#p [aj] Serbian S. erythrocephalum

40 AC
  Golubat, Golubatz Fly #s English S. colmbaschense

9
Hungary  

púposszúnyogok

 Hungarian  

CD
Hungary  

cseszlék

 Hungarian  

CD
           
NORTHERN EUROPE        

 
Finland   mäkärät Finnish Simuliids mb

38
Finland   mäkärä Finnish Simuliids mb JI
Finland   mäkäräinen Finnish Simuliids mb JI
Norway Central, in mountains fjellsokk Norwegian Simuliidae [u]

JER
Norway Jotunheimen, Gjende gjendeflua Norwegian Metacnephia tredecimata

JER
Norway Østfold, Tune district tuneflua Norwegian S. truncatum

JER
Norway Southern, Drangedal Atlasmucke -n#p [al] German 'Tipula Sericea' (Simulium sp.)

45
Sweden Northern, Torneälven valley forsflugen Swedish Metacnephia lyra

BM
Sweden   knott #s #p [z] Swedish Simuliidae

BM
Sweden Northern, Torne & Vindal Rs. forsfluga Swedish Metacnephia lyra [aa]

BM
Sweden Northern, Torne & Vindal Rs. forsknott Swedish Metacnephia lyra [aa]

BM

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