biting insects in hyde park

spskelton · #1 (**permalink**) 29-04-2010, 07:52 AM

Attending exercise classes in hyde park (london) i am often bitten by a small dark insect which leaves itchy swollen bites on my legs. the insect is not a mosquito - although similar - and not a hosefly. it has a striped black/gey body, is about the same size as a mosquito, but with a thicker body. does anyone know what this annoying insect is?

Geoff F · #2 (**permalink**) 30-04-2010, 06:50 PM

Firstly, I'm not that well informed about Mosquitoes and their allies. And without a photo it is difficult to make suggestions.

But, to start with, have a look at Culiseta species. Possibly C. annulata which is well known as a biter which can cause allergic reaction.

spskelton · #3 (**permalink**) 01-05-2010, 04:19 AM

THat looks very likely - many thanks.

dk · #4 (**permalink**) 28-07-2010, 03:37 PM

I got savaged by clouds of little black flies while playing footy in Hyde Park this week. I've been playing there for four years and this was the first time it's happened. Definitely not mosquitoes, little flies (I caught a couple while they were biting me) and the bites are nothing like mosquito bites. A couple of days later they are uneven shaped dark red blotches about a centimetre in diameter and feel like bruises. Looking on the internet I think they were some species of black fly (Simuliidae).