Brämer fly bite gets your attention

Described as "an incredibly painful burning", by one unfortunate runner, and referred to in unfavourable terms by another individual on the English Forum in Switzerland, the bite of bremse tabanidae has started to gain a nasty reputation amongst expats who have been subjected to it, including this reporter.

Farmers, who refer to the horsefly as the brämer, are well acquainted with the florescent green-eyed pest, which attacks their livestock.

At up to two centimetres long, this heavyweight fly is nonetheless equipped with shock-absorbing legs and can land undetected on a victim’s exposed skin.

According to pest control company Rentokil, horseflies "have mouth parts that work like miniature knives, which they use to slash open the skin with a scissor–like motion".

This leaves a significant incision, allowing the fly to feast on the blood, which it can suck up to 0.2 millilitres at a single sitting.

The flies are said to be particularly attracted by perspiration.

Anyone who has attempted to catch a house fly knows that they’re remarkably fast and anticipatory. But despite an ability to fly at speeds of at least 40 kilometres an hour (information is sketchy here and much faster velocities have been cited), evolutionary investment in this biological jet-fighter appears to have been spent on performance and weaponry with little thought for defensive radar – making them relatively easy to swat.

This however, fails to compensate for the pain and disfigurement of the bite. Some victims suffer a rash, others experience a swelling more than two centimetres thick and several centimetres in diameter.

For the former, doctors say a little vinegar is enough to calm the pain – a panacea interestingly effective against jellyfish stings as well – but for more sensitive cases, corticosteroids and antihistamines are necessary.

In extreme examples of allergy, anaphylactic shock can occur, which requires immediate medical attention.

Although no cases have ever been recorded, some experts have speculated that the brämer’s (and other horseflies’) lancets might be sufficient to transmit HIV.

As with mosquitoes, the female of the species is responsible for blood-sucking, a duty required for egg production.

Geographical distribution of bremse tabanidae sees it more prevalent in eastern areas of Switzerland and in the Jura, though the horsefly has proved to be a nuisance throughout central Europe.

The fly is at its most active between April and August, especially on warm sultry days. It can often be found near water, including swimming pools and, of course, livestock.

Feeding mostly on horses (and other mammals, such as pets), the brämer is one of a genus responsible for the spread of equine infectious anaemia, according to a scientific paper by clinical veterinarian Dr. Vinzenz Gerber, at the University of Bern.

However, although endemic in other European countries, the disease was not recorded in Switzerland as of last year.

Infected horses suffer serious loss of weight, amongst other symptoms.