Cottontail Rabbit Botfly
Cuterebra lepusculi
This record describes Cuterebra lepusculi (species). Recorded family: Oestridae. Recorded order: Diptera.
Identification and Appearance
Only the rabbit bots have red spots in their eyes; for live specimens this is a big ID help, but shortly after death the spots disappear. This species is similar to C. buccata (see BugGuide for pics), but the key is the U shaped white fringe on the back (in bug jargon this would be on the mesoscutum). This species is also similar to C. princeps and C. ruficrus, but both of these species have red in the legs. This is clearly all black. From the top down shots, this appears to be a male by the spacing between the eyes. This is especially nice, as males are poorly represented in collections. Sabrosky found 14 males and 57 females in collections, but there may be more in places he never visited? Its surprising that this bot is not better represented, given its wide distribution in the west, and that it uses a fairly common host. -George Jeff Boettner, 21.x.2011
Wikipedia reference for Cuterebra lepusculi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuterebra_lepusculi.
Classification
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
WA‒CA to SD‒TX; not very often seen
Diet and Behavior
Diet: known hosts are cottontail rabbits, Sylvilagus nuttallii & S. audubonii (the latter found as a host by Pfaffenberger (1988) in NM)
Life History
biology worked out by Craig Baird (1983)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Cuterebra lepusculi Townsend 1897
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Diptera, the group containing Cuterebra lepusculi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Ecological role of the group
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Economic and practical significance of the group
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, CDC, PNAS. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Cottontail Rabbit Botfly (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by v belov
Frequently Asked Questions About Cottontail Rabbit Botfly
What is Cottontail Rabbit Botfly?
Cottontail Rabbit Botfly (Cuterebra lepusculi) is a species in the family Oestridae, within the order Diptera.
How do you identify Cottontail Rabbit Botfly?
Only the rabbit bots have red spots in their eyes; for live specimens this is a big ID help, but shortly after death the spots disappear. This species is similar to C. buccata (see BugGuide for pics), but the key is the U shaped white fringe on the back (in bug jargon this would be on the mesoscutum). This species is also similar to C. princeps and C. ruficrus, but both of these species have red in the legs. This is clearly all black. From the top down shots, this appears to be a male by the spacing between the eyes. This is especially nice, as males are poorly represented in collections. Sabrosky found 14 males and 57 females in collections, but there may be more in places he never visited? Its surprising that this bot is not better represented, given its wide distribution in the west, and that it uses a fairly common host. -George Jeff Boettner, 21.x.2011
Where is Cottontail Rabbit Botfly found?
Range: WA‒CA to SD‒TX; not very often seen
What does Cottontail Rabbit Botfly eat?
The diet of the Cottontail Rabbit Botfly includes known hosts are cottontail rabbits, Sylvilagus nuttallii & S. audubonii (the latter found as a host by Pfaffenberger (1988) in NM).
What is the life cycle of a Cottontail Rabbit Botfly?
biology worked out by Craig Baird (1983)