A Taxonomist's Notebook

Does (host) size matter? When it comes to louse flies in the family Hippoboscidae, it certainly does! On the left is a species in the genus Icosta that was collected off an owl, and on the right is Ornithoica vicina collected off a golden-crowned kinglet (a very small songbird). In this case, bigger birds mean bigger louse flies, which is perhaps something to keep in mind the next time you’re watching Sesame Street. #Diptera #hippoboscidae #parasitesarecool #birds