face fly

plural face flies

1. A fly, Musca autumnalis, that resembles the housefly and is a pest of cattle and horses.

   Face flies hibernate in large numbers as unmated adults in buildings, mammal burrows, and in other protected places, whether heated or not.

   2005, William H. Robinson, Urban Insects and Arachnids: A Handbook of Urban Entomology, page 174

   2 more examples

   As its name suggests, the face fly hovers around the cow's face. A cow will not eat if too many face flies are feeding around its eyes. The face fly’s habit of flying from cow to cow makes it an excellent vector of bovine pinkeye, which can lead to blindness.

   2010, Leland S. Shapiro, Pathology & Parasitology For Veterinary Technicians 2E, Cengage Learning, page 136

   The face fly is usually a pest of grazing cattle. However, when horses are pastured with or close to cattle or when face flies are numerous, these flies will feed on secretions around the eyes of horses.

   2012, Rick Parker, Equine Science, 4th edition, page 396