Nose/Throat Bots

One larvae of interest is the throat or nose bot (Cepehenemyia trompe). 
   
Its life cycle starts with the female fly laying larvae on the face of the caribou around the nostrils. Unlike the warble fly, in the case of the bot, there is no egg laid, it is actually a larvae (maggot) that leaves the female. These larvae then crawl into the mouth and into the caribou’s nasal sinuses and back of the throat where they spend the winter.

In the spring, the larvae detach themselves from their host and leave through the nostrils where they fall to the ground. This can cause a lot of distress to the caribou, including snorting and sneezing as they block and irritate the nostrils. Once on the ground, the larvae pupate and develop into an adult. In the fall, the adults again swarm around the caribou to lay more larvae on their faces. This swarming accompanied by loud buzzing can be very disturbing to the caribou, causing them to run around and at times lose condition if they stop feeding.
    

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