Hippelates


Hippelates is a genus of flies in the family Chloropidae that are often referred to as eye gnats or eye flies.

Description

They are very small flies that frequently congregate around the eyes to lap at the fluids. They are primarily a nuisance pest, and do not bite. They have been linked with the spread of bovine mastitis in North America, and in certain tropical regions, they are capable of vectoring disease-causing bacteria.
Hippelates pusio is considered to be the vector for anaplasmosis, bovine mastitis, and Haemophilus spp. which cause bacterial conjunctivitis or 'pinkeye'.

Distribution

Hippelates are Neotropical and Nearctic in distribution.

Species

Hippelates bishoppiHippelates dorsalis Loew, 1869Hippelates genalis Loew, 1869Hippelates impressus Becker, 1912Hippelates nobilis Loew, 1863Hippelates pallipes Loew, 1863Hippelates plebejus Loew, 1863Hippelates proboscideus Williston, 1896Hippelates pusio LoewHippelates saundersi Kumm, 1936